The court made the above observation on Thursday while disposing of the petitions filed by about 20 street vendors. The petition claimed that the urban body was targeting stalls selling non-vegetarian food during its anti-encroachment drive, although the body denied this.
Justice Biren Vaishnav, who was hearing the petition, got a little angry at one point and asked the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, “What is your problem? How can you decide what to eat outside of my home? How can you stop people from eating what they like? Just because a person in power suddenly thinks what he wants to do?
Human rights activists have welcomed the order. They say that no one has the right to interfere or infringe on the personal liberty of others.
Through the petition, the street vendors of Ahmedabad had alleged that the street vendors in Ahmedabad were allegedly booked for selling eggs and non-vegetarian food after an elected representative in Rajkot made remarks against selling such food on handcarts. The campaign is being run from The carts of these street vendors have been confiscated by the BJP-ruled Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
Advocate Ronit Joy, appearing for the vendors, termed a move of the body as ‘radical’ and claimed that the local body has removed the stalls selling non-vegetarian food on the ground of not maintaining cleanliness.
Joy said that the shopkeepers selling non-vegetarian food were selectively removed on the ground of not selling vegetarian food.
After hearing everything, Justice Vaishnav, annoyed by this, said, “Will the municipal commissioner decide what to eat? Tomorrow they will say that I should not drink sugarcane juice as it can lead to diabetes. Or say that coffee is bad for health.
When advocate Satyam Chhaya, appearing for the local body, denied the allegations in the court and said that the body’s aim was only to remove encroachments, Justice Vaishnav said, “You are doing this under the guise of encroachment because you have to eat non-vegetarian food.” do not like it. It is always at the convenience of the respondent. Don’t do this to spoil someone’s ego.
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