Facing flak, Sukhu govt firefights Vikramaditya’s directive on vendor IDs

Facing flak over Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh’s announcement on mandatory display of names by all vendors, the Congress high command as well as Himachal Pradesh Government on Thursday went into a damage control mode and said no such decision had been taken.

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Even the minister, apparently under duress, issued a clarification on the matter as the party feared his remarks would snowball into a major controversy and impact its poll prospects in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

“Everyone is welcome to work in Himachal Pradesh. But it is the responsibility of the state government to ensure peace and harmony, especially in the wake of the recent developments where locals demanded proper identification and registration of people coming here to work,” Vikramaditya Singh said.

State Congress in-charge Rajeev Shukla said there was no move by the government to make it mandatory for vendors to display their names and identification. “The issue is being unnecessarily raked up. It is wrong to draw parallels

with UP where every decision is taken by the government with a communal motive,” he alleged. Shukla, however, denied reports that Vikramaditya Singh was reprimanded over the matter. He said a committee had been constituted by the Vidhan Sabha Speaker to formulate a street vendors’ policy.

On behalf of the government, an official spokesperson said, “The state has so far not taken any decision with regard to mandatory display of names or other identification by vendors at their stalls.” He clarified the state was committed to address the concerns of the street vendors and would hear all stakeholders before taking any decision. “The government would take a call after evaluating recommendations from the Vidhan Sabha committee constituted to formulate the street vendors’ policy,” the spokesperson said.