Members of Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendor’s Association yesterday celebrated their sixth founding day at Anton Hall, Laitumkhrah.
A two day programme was held to mark the occasion, which is usually celebrated by the members on June 23.
More than thousand street vendors and hawkers and their family members celebrated together for a day long programme that included a cultural competition called ‘Hawkers Have Talent.’
The first day programme was organisational training in Social Analysis and Organisation building for the office bearers of the association. The training was facilitated by well known Public Health Activist and founder of The Action North Trust, Dr. Sunil Kaul.
The concluding day programme was chaired by Biolin Pyrtuh, newly elected president of the association.
Assistant Food Commissioner, DBS Mukhim and Meghalaya Domestic Workers Movement, Wanpynhun Kharsyntiew addressed the gathering.
Kharsyntiew spoke about the power of working classes in Meghalaya and exhorted the hawkers and street vendors to strengthen their solidarity with other citizens and working people to defend their rights and as well as to be a part of movements for democratic renewals.
The association also expressed their gratitude to their lawyer Kaustabh Pal, who has helped the association mount its legal challenge to anti-people Meghalaya State law on Hawking which now would be repealed and Central Law on Hawking would finally be implemented in Meghalaya.
The founding day got into celebration mode with competitions in Singing, Dancing, Modelling and Fashion Show. Hawkers sang their original self written songs and self-composed poems too.
