[Reader-list] Paani puri politics

[TaraPrakash]

Now, who is in Hazare tribe, Ankita? Or Goons? Or both? I am yet to figure 
out the Hazare connection. I hope Hazare is not turned in to another Modi.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Yousuf" <ysaeed7 at yahoo.com>
To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:54 AM
Subject: [Reader-list] Paani puri politics


> Anna Hazare's tribe grows. I don't know whether to feel sorry for the 
> street vendors or the MNS goons.
> ----------
>
> Paani puri politics
>
> Posted On Friday, April 15, 2011 at 02:27:46 AM
>
> On Wednesday, Mumbai Mirror had published the story of a paani puri 
> vendor - caught on camera by reader Ankita Rane - urinating into the lota 
> used to serve his customers.
>
> Three days later, the isolated story which ought to have triggered 
> awareness about unhygienic street food, has turned into a political 
> circus.
>
> Ankita, who has been besieged with congratulatory calls since her story 
> was published, saw nothing wrong when local political worker Rahul Shelar 
> organised a meeting MNS supremo Raj Thackeray at his Dadar residence on 
> Thursday. "He (Thackeray) saw the video and congratulated me on my 
> courage," said Ankita. "He also said the civic body is not doing its job."
>
> Minutes after Ankita walked out, party workers were out on a rampage 
> across Dadar targeting vendors of Nimbu Panni, Panni Puri, Bhel Puri, 
> Batata Vada and other street food. Ignoring the pleas of shocked and 
> hapless vendors, they tore down stalls, overturned carts and destroyed 
> wares.
>
> MNS workers clear the Dadar and Shivaji Park areas of street vendors on 
> Thursday afternoon.
>
> The agitation gathered momentum and by evening MNS workers in groups had 
> managed to leave behind a trail of destruction from Dadar right up to the 
> suburbs including Dahisar, Andheri, Khar and even areas like Colaba and 
> CST. The hawkers were no match for the marauding brigade.
>
> Sandeep Deshpande, the department head of the party said that this 
> agitation is in interest of the common man. “Hawkers sell unhygienic food 
> on the streets and people consume it. This drive is against such 
> unhygienic food being sold,” he said.
>
> Chief Minister Prithivraj Chavan, who was in Ghatkopar when MNS rampaged 
> its way through the city - said, "There are Supreme Court guidelines on 
> food being sold on the streets and the government will ensure that they 
> are followed and effectively implemented."
>
> Back in Ankita's neighbourhood, the street food vendors had disappeared 
> before the politics of 'piss puri' could catch up with them.
>
> http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=2&contentid=20110415201104150228029897480759a
>
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