A Calcutta High Court order to the railways to suspend the removal of hawkers from Dankuni, Naihati and Konnagar railway stations till June 17 has rekindled hopes among thousands of small traders fighting to protect their livelihoods amid an ongoing eviction drive across the state.
Hearing a petition filed by the CPM-affiliated West Bengal Railway Hawkers' Union against the ongoing eviction drive, a single bench of Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya on Wednesday directed the railways to refrain from carrying out any eviction at the three stations until the next hearing on June 17.
The petitioner had sought a directive restraining the railways from undertaking eviction without first making alternative arrangements for the affected hawkers' livelihood.
The court's intervention has come as a major morale booster for hawkers' organisations and trade unions backed by the CPM and the CPI(ML)-Liberation, which have intensified efforts to reorganise hawkers at railway stations where eviction notices have already been served with fixed deadlines.
Welcoming the order, West Bengal Railway Hawkers' Union state president and former CPM MP Alokesh Das said: “Calcutta High Court order has given a message for these three places, but the fight has started everywhere. Poor people cannot be evicted to benefit big corporates. A multi-faceted struggle will be waged on the streets and in the courts with the people.”
Following the court's intervention, the CPM's trade union wing, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu), renewed its campaign against the eviction drive at several railway stations.
Citu leader Gargi Chatterjee said: “We went to Calcutta High Court against the eviction drive undertaken by the railways and thankfully the court has restrained the railways from carrying out its eviction drive at the three stations till June 17. With this order, we will renew our fight against this eviction.”
Left leaders alleged that the railways had launched an “inhumane” operation to remove hawkers from railway stations and adjoining areas across the state. According to them, railway, central and state police personnel, aided by bulldozers, have demolished stalls without following due legal procedures.
They also alleged that Left activists protesting a midnight eviction operation at Jadavpur were subjected to police excesses.
Hawkers said that the court's order was a relief. However, Left leaders remain sceptical about the intentions of both the state government and the railways and vowed to intensify the battle through legal and mass movements.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of another pending case against eviction from railway land near Brace Bridge. On May 15, the high court had stayed an Eastern Railway notice seeking the removal of settlements from the area.
That matter has also been listed for hearing on June 17. The proposed eviction would affect nearly 6,000 families residing on railway land around Brace Bridge.
Criticising the broader eviction policy, Chatterjee said: “The railways cannot snatch away people's shelter in this manner. Nobody knows where these people will go or how they will survive with their families and children after eviction. A new state government has taken charge, but instead of providing jobs and shelter to the poor, it is kicking them in the stomach. Before the Assembly elections, the BJP had said fear would disappear from people's minds.”