Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav on Friday vowed to implement Tehbazari to protect the rights of the street vendors if the party comes to power in the upcoming Assembly elections.
“Our top priority will be to implement Tehbazari (Street Vendors Act, 2014, passed by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre) to protect the rights of urban street vendors, and to regulate street vending after we come to power. It will benefit over five lakh street vendors operating in Delhi,” he said.
The Delhi Congress chief said they will be able to earn their livelihood with dignity and honour, without harassment from the police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials.
Referring to his ongoing Delhi Nyay Yatra, Yadav claimed that he came across thousands of street vendors who narrated their plight to him, who said that in the absence of designated vending zones and vending licenses, the street vendors face constant harassment from the police and the MCD officials, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government neither conducted any survey nor created vending zones to implement the Street Vending Act, other than making empty promises.
The Delhi Congress chief also vowed to resume registration of auto rickshaws to provide permits/licence to end black marketing. He said that 93,654 autos have been registered in Delhi, and resumption of registration will benefit over four lakh people in the national capital.
Yadav alleged former Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal that he cheated the auto drivers with false promises and misused them for AAP’s election campaigns in 2014.
“After coming to power, Kejriwal totally neglected them. None of their problems were addressed by the AAP government,” he said.
The Delhi Congress chief said the party has always given high priority to encourage those who are engaged in self employment like street vendors and auto drivers.
Elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled to be held early next year.