Anita Das and Mr. Dipak Kumar Singh

WHRD and HRD

Jharkhand

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on 6th December 2021 regarding the fabricated charges against HRDs Ms. Anita Das and Mr. Dipak Kumar Singh by Jharkhand Police in collusion with administrative officials.

On November 22, 2021, the Enforcement team of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation arrived in the Birsa Chowk area in Ranchi and launched a hawker eviction drive. There were many female hawkers and vendors in the stretch between Birsa Chowk and Hinu Chowk but the officials were men. They forcibly seized the goods and properties of hawkers and street vendors leading to heated arguments, pushed and shoved hawkers when they came in the way. 

Ms. Anita Das and Mr. Dipak Singh arrived at the eviction spot and demanded to see the TVC’s permission and the seizure list, as required under Street Vending Act, 2014 along with the officials claims that the eviction was conducted as per the orders from the Commissioner. They failed to show any official documents and continuously argued with the HRDs. 

At that time, the enforcement team informed the Daronda Police Station. Officer in Charge Mr. S Mahasha arrived at the spot and intervened on behalf of the enforcement team and a fabricated case was registered based on a complaint by Mr. Manoj Kumar and 10 other enforcement team in the Doranda Police Station against Ms. Das, Mr. Singh, and others in reprisal for opposing the illegal eviction drive by alleging that they were misbehaved with them and abused them. 

The police and enforcement team officials acted with malafide intentions to target the HRDs who were opposing the violation of laws protecting the interests of street vendors and hawkers. This is a gross abuse of the HRDs' fundamental right to life and personal liberty granted by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution as well as a complete violation of their human rights as guaranteed by national and international laws.