Hawkers are not the only people who are used as pawns in the games that politicians play. Never mind what that does to Calcutta?s vehicular traffic or citizens? rights. It seems particularly futile to look for an escape from the ordeal when elections are round the corner. The ruling Left Front, though, routinely blows hot and cold on the issue of eviction or re-settlement of hawkers. Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has now set the left?s tune on the issue for the electoral season. He has decided that hawkers and pedestrians would coexist on the city?s pavements, at least for now. The fact that he announced the decision at a pre-election rally organized by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions should explain what he expected of it. Obviously, this was meant to buy the hawkers? loyalty to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) during the coming elections. Mr Bhattacharjee clearly spoke more as a politician than as the chief minister. Ironically, his sop to the hawkers came in the presence of his party and cabinet colleague, Mr Subhas Chakraborty, who launched an ?Operation Sunshine? some years ago to clear the major city roads of hawkers. It has been no easy task to keep track of the many twists and turns of the government?s policy on this since the abrupt halt to Mr Chakraborty?s drive.

The chief minister?s economic argument for letting the hawkers stay is even more fallacious. He wondered if a government that could not offer the hawkers alternative employment, should take away their livelihood. This begs two larger questions. He should actually ask himself why the government failed to pursue policies that would promote economic growth and employment opportunities. The other question is whether the hawkers? encroachment of the streets is a serious answer to the unemployment problem. Coming from a chief minister, such a suggestion is not only absurd but also potentially dangerous. By this logic, unemployed people have the right to usurp the citizens? rights. But then, the citizens are not half as important as the hawkers in the electoral schemes. No tears need be shed for them now, even if the congested pavements force the people to walk on the roads at the risk of accidents. Mr Bhattacharjee harps on the need for a makeover of Calcutta?s image. The doublespeak on hawkers cannot improve either his or the city?s image.