Spare Common People from Protests, Plead Street Vendors

The common people and street vendors in Janpath Market and adjoining commercial areas of the national capital heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday, welcoming the decision to shift the protest site. They said the move would spare them road closures, traffic diversions, congestion and loss of business.

Frequent protests by various political parties and groups, including the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had severely affected customer footfall during the crucial festive shopping season.

The vendors said they often get goods on short-term credit. When protests hit their business, they suffer losses and struggle to repay their dues, creating further financial problems. They felt this was not the right season for demonstrations. According to them, they had lost 90% of the business this season.

“This is the festive season, but protests by political parties are affecting our daily earnings,” they said. Some vendors had stocked products for the Garba season, but their businesses suffered because of the protests.

The vendors argued that demonstrations should be held during the hot summer months of May and June, rather than during the festive season, when business normally picks up. Saturdays and Sundays, in particular, are crucial for sales, but they said they had been forced to shut their shops due to protests.

Political parties should not disrupt the livelihoods of small vendors during the festive season, they pleaded.

The vendors said political parties must understand that small traders live from hand to mouth and do not have large bank balances to fall back on.

“We are less privileged. Political parties may have plenty of money, and that is why they can take to the streets,” they said.

Another vendor said the protests had disrupted business across Connaught Place, affecting ordinary people and causing heavy losses to small traders who had to keep their shops closed.

“I have a glasses shop and a garments shop. Both were closed because of the protests,” he said.

Another vendor argued that political parties could stage demonstrations elsewhere without harming the interests of the general public. Markets such as Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar and Janpath had all been affected, they said.

One vendor said he was unsure whether vote theft had taken place, adding that his own vote had not been stolen. He also pointed to another consequence of such protests: while politicians and party activists could often secure bail if arrested, ordinary people caught up in the demonstrations could find it difficult to do so because they lacked the resources.

Shopkeeper Abbas described the impact on his business in stark terms.

“The shops opened after three days; only two pieces were sold. What should we sell, and how do we feed the children?” he asked.

For him, the opposition’s political agenda was secondary to the immediate challenge of earning a livelihood and feeding his children.