Sena-BJP split ways over pani puri waalas

As one steps into overdrive to rinse city streets of "unhygienic food vendors", other steps in to protect them from assaults

Who would have known that the pee in panipuri would develop into a tempest in a teacup, and in such a politically painted backdrop?u00a0u00a0But the BJP was left out of the popular politics for the latter half of last week. So it had to jump in the fray yesterday, looking at how its alliance partner in the BMC, the Sena, was stealing the show, cleansing the city of "unhygienic street food vendors", most of whom hail from North India. But a more pressing reason was at play. The "unhygienic street food vendors" also form a sizeable vote bank for the lotus party. So seeing them driven out of business by the tiger's newfound obsession with hygiene, it had to spring into action, to protect its electorate.


Up in arms: Samajwadi Party members burn an effigy of Raj Thackeray
after MNS workers assaulted pani puri waalas in Thane. file pic

Defensive of the north Indian vendor community, its party leaders say that just because one person did it, doesn't mean all of them do it. The general secretary of BJP Mumbai, Vivekanand Gupta, said, "Just because one person did something wrong, doesn't mean all pani puri sellers are wrong. Not everyone is the same. Our leaders have spoken to the authorities and asked them to look into the matter." Making the pitch for the pani puri waalas must have been difficult for the BJP, considering that it was pitted against its ally. But dissent is the beauty of this democratic set-up. More importantly, not scoring brownie points with its voters after this un-pee-cedented turn of events could have been scarring for its visibility before the municipal elections next year.

So after the Samajwadi Party burnt Raj Thackeray's effigy after the estranged nephew's party assaulted street food vendors after the disgusting pani puri waala peed in the vessel he used to serve the palate-tickling dish, incensing the Shiv Sena into exhorting the BMC to launch a drive against them, the BJP has stood up to intervene.

Raj Purohit, the president of BJP Mumbai, said, "These are poor people who come here to make a living. If someone does something wrong, it doesn't mean that a particular party or individual is entitled to go and beat them up. We need to understand that there is something called law and order that exists in the state. I have sent letters to the police commissioner, the state home minister, the chief minister and other authorities, requesting them to look into the matter." Equally protective of its body politic, the BMC, under the Shiv Sena's aegis, is trying to get all illicit hawkers out of city limits. The Sena has even assured that its party squad will help the civic authorities drive them away.

Sanjay Raut, Sena MP and spokesperson, said, "We are not against any specific person or group. But after the incident in Thane, the party has instructed the Thane and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (both of which it leads) to act against those who do not have licences to serve food, so that such events aren't repeated." He added that there is nothing new in the drive undertaken against food vendors, as "the BMC has been doing it for a long time. Such drives happen."

But Purohit counters that people who are doing business legally shouldn't be harassed, and certainly not assaulted. "The current scenario makes me feel that anybody can go and beat anyone without any fear of the consequences. The police needs to take action. We support every person who is right. This is not a matter of Hindi or Marathi, instead it is about the right of the people," said Purohit.

The Sena, however, is sticking to its guns, which are firmly trained on the vendors. After losing the opening sequence to the estranged nephew's proactive party, if the Sena twiddles its thumbs now, it may fail to make the indelible impression it is famously capable of on its vote bank, prominently Marathi, experts say.u00a0

Meanwhile, a BJP leader claimed that his party was already stewing in its juice after it invited Raj Thackeray to its state party office for tea in December last year. And this would be an opportunity to appease alienated voters from then. "This had already miffed north Indians who support the BJP. If we keep quiet even now, we will have to pay for it heavily during elections," he said.

Netaspeak
While the Congress maintained that it did not want to participate in this trifling demagoguery or sully itself by playing vote bank politics, the MNS and the Samajwadi Party seem to have involved themselves because of motives that have something to do each with general public health and sanitation.u00a0

Anant Gadgil, spokesperson for the Congress, said, "We are a national party and we have major issues to tackle. The BJP-Sena combine is indulging in vote bank politics. We do not want to stoop this low."

Nitin Sardesai spokesperson for the MNS, said, "We don't want to get into the politics of others, but we want the unhygienic pani puri waalas, including illegal eateries, out of the city."

Abu Asim Azmi, president of Samajwadi Party, said, "All this seems to be a ploy against North Indians for political motives. u00a0We condemn such acts of beating people. Hence we are against it and want it to be stopped."