Rahul Gandhi meets hawkers in Delhi: Promises to take up their cause

New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday met street vendors and promised to take up their cause. He sought better facilities for them.

"The vendors called me complaining about the lack of proper facilities. The poor workers here have not been given proper space in the city," said Gandhi during his visit to Raghubir Nagar area in West Delhi where hundreds of vendors sell products, including altered clothes.

Gandhi, who was accompanied by Delhi PCC Chief Ajay Maken and AICC in-charge of Delhi P.C. Chacko, went around the sheds where the vendors do their business out of cramped spaces.

"I have heard their grievances and will take it up with the authorities," said Gandhi.

Maken said that Gandhi was instrumental in the passage of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014 which aims to regulate street vending and protect the rights of urban street vendors.

The Act also protects the street vendors from harassment by police and civic authorities, besides providing protection of livelihood rights and social security of street vendors.

Leaders of the Gujarati Vaghri community, whose members are mainly the vendors, said that some 4,000 vendors do their business from the cramped spaces. They sought more space.

(IANS)