Locals in Himachal Pradesh hail now-withdrawn 'nameplate' order meant for street vendors

Shimla: The now-retracted order to street vendors to display their credentials has struck a chord with the locals in Himachal Pradesh, which has more than 90 per cent Hindu population.

Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh had on Wednesday told reporters that it would be mandatory for street vendors, especially those selling food items, to display their identity cards at their shops.

The decision, he had said, was inspired by a similar directive by the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government.

The Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday, however, said no such decision has been taken.

All the same, the announcement went down well with the majority.

"Shops have been sublet and no one is aware who the owner is and who has rented the shop. There are people who have sold their stalls and are again sitting on roads," Kartar Thakur, a fruit seller in Shimla, said.

Kuldip, a vegetable seller, hailed the decision saying there should be no harm in displaying the name and patronage of the man selling the goods.

He said "outsiders" who have set up shops in the state have impacted the income of the locals.

"They import vegetables and fruits directly without paying the market tax and as such they earn much more than others," Kuldip said.

Another street vendor, Quereshi, said, "We have been living here for over four decades. Shimla is a small place where everyone knows each other and therefore displaying ID is not an issue. The initiative will put a tab on the new people." Ramdin, a vegetable and fruit seller in Hamirpur, however, said there was no need for any such law that may harm their business.

At a time when Hindu-Muslim strife is on rise, there is no need to implement this decision as it will drive away Hindus from Muslims' shops, he said.

Seema, a grocer, concurred, terming the announcement "anti-migrant" and as something that only will only deepen the divide between the Hindus and the Muslims.

Vijay, a samosa and tikki cart owner in Nurpur, welcomed the decision, while Fiaz Alam, a momo and noodles seller, has already applied for a licence.

Last week, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania constituted a seven-member committee headed by Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan for the framing of a policy for 'Street Vendors.' The committee, of which Vikramaditya Singh is one of the members, has been asked to submit its recommendation to the cabinet for final decision, a spokesperson of the state government said on Thursday.