ABSTRACT
‘They said they will make Shanghai, instead they made kabristan X [cemetery],’ says Syed, a clothes seller, as we stand on the side of the road, watching as a municipality truck looms down on its way to clear the area of hawkers. It is the third time the municipality has come for a demolition this week. The mere sight of the grey truck inching its way through the traffic fills him with apprehension. Frustrated by the interruption caused by the truck, he told me, ‘The police blame us whenever something goes wrong. This city is full of criminals, but the government targets us. If there is an accident on the street in front of us, even though we are just sitting here, the police blame us. The state treats us as if we are the biggest criminals, even though we are businessmen too.’ Fortunately, there is heavy traffic on this day, so the hawkers have ample time to pack up their goods. It takes 30 seconds to take down a display of sheets, towels and children’s clothes. With the help of some people loitering around, the vendors’ tables with all the goods on it are swiftly carried into a small lane located just off the main street. With their tables safely stashed inside, Syed and his friends stand and wait. ‘The government’s slogan was garibi hatao [get rid of poverty], but now it’s become garibon ko hatao [get rid of the poor]!’ Syed adds with wit, inverting the well-known 1970s-era slogan associated with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At this point, the municipality truck arrives at the spot in front of us, only to continue down the road without incident. Syed tells me that it is headed for a hawker demolition raid in Saat Bungalow, a nearby neighbourhood. The hawkers bring their goods back onto the street and resume business. Says Syed, ‘If not today, tomorrow. They will come back.’
