SHILLONG, Aug 13: An FIR has been lodged with Laitumkhrah Police Station against the circulation of a video on WhatsApp which is said to be maligning the image of the Meghalaya Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA).
The FIR was filed by the MGSPHSVA and invitee member Angela Rangad on Saturday.
In the videos, the association alleged that it was some hawkers at Laitumkhrah were seen being harassed by miscreants who made them produce their IDs, and were forced to speak and answer questions while being videographed without their consent.
“The hawkers were visibly scared and were being made to repeat tutored responses in an attempt to malign the image of their organisation, particularly one of their invitee members Angela Rangad,” Secretary of the organisation, Shane Thabah, said.
Thabah reminded that that hawking and street vending is covered under Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 legislated by the Union government, adding that by the recent admission of the Meghalaya government before the High Court, it will also be operational in the state.
Till then status quo order of the High Court of Meghalaya is operational, he said.
“We would like to add that just as recently as August 8, 2022, the district administration invited us for a conversation about Hawking and Street Vending in Laitumkhrah area and to plan for a participatory exercise in regulation and organisation of vending activity,” said Thabah.
The MGSPHSVA alleged that the ‘miscreants’ who took the video refused to give their name and even deleted the videos recorded by bystanders. Moreover, near Fire Brigade, the miscreants violently threw away vendors’ goods.
“These miscreants are taking law into their own hands violating court directives and creating a sense of insecurity among the hawkers and general citizenry at large,” the association said.
In the FIR, the organisation has asked the police to use the available CCTV footages to identify the persons and book them.
