Manish Verma, Bhopal

Yesterday, there was an uproar in MP Nagar, Bhopal, when the daily tea and snack stall of Kailash Tea and Snacks was removed, citing encroachment, while the shed built in front of the shop right next to it, which was also an encroachment, was left untouched. No action was taken against the sheds extending onto the road from other shops in the vicinity either.

It is worth noting that “Kailash Tea and Snacks” is the only place in all of Bhopal where breakfast is provided free of charge to disabled people throughout the day. ​​The owner does not receive any money from the government or any other source for this. The shopkeeper said that this discriminatory action was taken with the connivance of the officials.

A tutor across the street parks 60 to 100 vehicles on the road every day from morning till night, and no vehicles stop in front of the tea stall. There are also other tea, snack, and juice shops next to it, which extend far onto the road. However, the fact that these shops are not considered encroachments, while only one shop in the same line is, is incomprehensible. This discriminatory attitude has not only jeopardized the livelihood of the shop’s employees but will also prevent disabled people from receiving their free breakfast from tomorrow onwards. Those disabled individuals who do not have sufficient funds will go hungry from tomorrow.

Upon questioning Municipal Corporation officer Srishti Bhadauria, it was learned that someone had filed a complaint. While the corporation is usually flooded with complaints, and action is not taken for years, the failure to take action against the wealthy shop owner across the street, who permanently parks 50 to 100 motorcycles, raises doubts about the working style of the officials.

Perhaps the officials, who extort large sums of money from wealthy shopkeepers, couldn’t get anything from the poor shopkeeper, which led to the closure of his shop. Citizens have expressed their outrage over this incident.