New government, old playbook

The story of Kolkata's hawkers echoes a history of displacement and eviction, dating back to the Bengal famine and Partition. Subhas Chakraborty, then Transport Minister, promised peaceful rehabilitation during Operation Sunshine in 1996, but this was ultimately unsuccessful. Now, a new BJP government is undertaking similar evictions without offering any alternative solutions. The issue highlights the ongoing tension between urban order and informal labor in Kolkata's cityscape. The city's hawkers have long been an integral part of its informal economy, yet their presence has led to conflicts over public space.