A women street vendors’ meeting was held on Sunday at Rupmahal Theatre, Imphal, jointly organized by Salai Taret Apunba Nupi Samaj Lup, Khwairamband Bazar, and the Roadside Vendors Welfare Association (RSVWA), Khwairamband Keithel.
The meeting, held under the theme “Stop Eviction of Street Vendors,” was attended by Kshetri Tama Devi, President of RSVWA; Ima Jano Begum, Advisor of the Minority Muslim Women Vendors Union; Chanamthabam Tombi, Vice-President of Salai Taret Apunba Nupi Samaj Lup; Pheiroijam Ibemhal Devi, Secretary of the organization; and Kh. Ibeton Devi, Advisor of RSVWA, who also served as a presidium member.
Speakers at the gathering voiced deep concern over the eviction drives carried out against street vendors in Manipur. They noted that in the aftermath of the recent conflict, many vendors have been unable to afford shop rents, pay their children’s school fees, or manage household expenses. Loans taken under government schemes, coupled with the rising cost of daily commodities, have further worsened their hardships.
The meeting condemned the harassment of street vendors during this critical period, terming eviction drives unjust and unacceptable. Presidium member Ima Ch. Tombi Devi remarked that street vendors do not occupy spaces out of greed or luxury, but out of compulsion to sustain their families. She appealed to the government to provide security and protection instead of resorting to harassment.
Delivering the keynote address, Kshetri Tama Devi said street vending is directly tied to the right to live. She explained that vendors have already been brought under regulation through digital surveys, identity cards, and the collection of weekly and quarterly fees. In such a situation, she argued, repeated eviction drives and forced relocations cannot be considered fair or just.
She further urged the government to focus on improving roads and public spaces to better accommodate vendors. The meeting concluded with a collective resolution by participating vendors, declaring that they must be given protection and support, affirming: “Do not drive us out, let us live.”