MP: Civic staff pushes minor egg vendor’s cart over Rs 100 bribe, sparks outrage

PTI, Jul 24, 2020, 3:22 PM IST

Indore: A video purportedly showing Indore civic staff pushing a handcart of a boy and the eggs he was selling falling to the ground and getting smashed, has gone viral on social media and triggered an outrage among local leaders as well as people.

The incident took place on Wednesday at Piplyahana square in the city and the action taken against the minor vendor by the employees and officials of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) was part of the civic body”s ongoing drive of seizing the roadside hawkers” handcarts amid the pandemic.

The boy, identified as Paras Raikwar (12), said he earned his living by selling eggs on a handcart at Piplyahana square.

Talking to reporters after the incident, the Class VII boy said,”They (civic officials) asked me to remove my handcart from spot saying there was no permission for it. Then they pushed the cart, following which the eggs fell to the ground and were broken.”

The video of the incident went viral on Thursday, following which the IMC officials were criticised for their “insensitive” attitude.

After the criticism by the people and leaders belonging to the BJP as well as the Congress, the IMC has stopped its ongoing drive of seizing handcarts.

A public relations officer of the IMC said, “After strong objections by the public representatives over the Piplyahana incident, the ongoing drive of seizing handcarts in the city has been stopped till further orders.”

As per the COVID-19 protocols, those selling goods on handcarts cannot stand at one place so that it does not lead to crowding. Such vendors were asked to sell their products by keep moving from one place to another in residential areas to do their business.