The street vendors of Patna held a massive sit-in protest on September 21st, against the BJP-led Municipal Corporation’s illegal and forcible evictions. The vendors demanded proper implementation of the Street Vendors’ Act and also criticised BJP MLAs and MP from Patna for not protecting the street vendors and the poor in the city.
The street vendors demanded that the state government must intervene and take effective measures for their rehabilitation. The Smart City Project has become a tool to attack their livelihoods. The vendors are demanding that vending zones be demarcated, licences be provided and permanent rehabilitation be done for all street vendors.

CPIML leader and MLA Mahboob Alam said that the attacks on the livelihoods of the poor will not be tolerated and if relief is not given to those displaced, then CPIML will intensify the protest. He also appealed to the common people, social and political activists, intellectuals and eminent citizens to come forward to defend the rights of city’s street vendors who provide various essential services to city dwellers at accessible places and affordable costs. The permanent vending zones have not been provided for the vendors which is required as per law, he added.