Varanasi: Opposing Varanasi Municipal Corporation’s decision to shift meat and fish shops from main city areas to city outskirts, Sajha Sanskriti Manch, a joint forum of social and political groups, termed it a bid to benefit supply chains or corporate groups and mega stores. They said the move will hit livelihood of hundreds of petty traders involved in the trade.Against VMC’s decision to relocate meat, fish and poultry shops outside city limits, SMC representatives submitted memorandum to the district magistrate through SDM Shivani Singh, terming the decision “dictatorial, one-sided and undemocratic”.In its memorandum, SSM said petty traders would be deprived of livelihood in the name of cleanliness and beautification. Sending vendors 10 kms away from the city is akin to shutting down their business, they said, adding that it was violation of freedom of trade under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution and right to choice of food under Article 21.Representatives alleged that it is VMC’s conspiracy to benefit big hotels, malls, mega and hyper stores, online trading platforms, who will continue selling meat and fish while petty retail traders are being uprooted. SJM said the city’s identity lies in its composite culture, where livelihood of communities involved in fishery, meat trading, food and worship tradition of Bengali community and the religious aspect connected with the Aghor tradition cannot be ignored.Demanding to withdraw the decision of relocation immediately, the SJM said that instead of harassing weaker sections a regulation should be implemented for cleanliness including waste management, closed glass and refrigeration in shops.Sanjeev Singh, Satish Singh, Ramjanm Yadav, Anoop Shramik, Vinay Rai Munna, Nevish, Abdulla, Neeraj, Anant, Chhedi Lal Nirala, Manish Sharma, Niti, Salma, Omprakash Mishra and Dhananjay Tripathi took part in the protest.
