Incident on Free School Street
A 60-year-old pavement dweller on Free School Street became the focal point of a political row after state urban development minister Agnimitra Paul questioned her during an anti-encroachment drive. The woman, identified as Sita Mullick, was heating milk on a stove on the pavement when Paul asked who had given her the right to "set up a household" on a footpath, as reported by The Times of India.
Videos of the exchange, which showed Mullick with a small child nearby, circulated widely on social media. Mullick said she was boiling milk for her grandson.
A poem by Srijato that asks who bears the cost of deprivation was widely shared and discussed online, according to The Times of India.
Minister's response
Speaking to reporters in Asansol, Paul defended her actions, saying the family had been told earlier to leave the spot. "They were told earlier as well, 'do not stay here, go home,'" she said, adding that Mullick herself had told her she has a house in Dhapa.
"Who gave you the right to boil milk on the footpath, and that too by lighting a stove? You are inviting danger for yourself, and also for pedestrians," Paul said.
The minister also questioned the purpose of the milk, saying a six-month-old cannot consume a bowl of milk. "Even if it was khichdi, I would have said it, if it was pakoda, I would have said it," she said, warning that an accident on the busy road would lead to criticism of the government.
Paul accused the Trinamool Congress and the CPI(M) of creating obstacles, citing accident statistics in Bengal.
Opposition and family's perspective
Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh visited the spot on Sunday and spoke to Mullick and her family. "We all want a free footpath for pedestrians. However, there should be a humanitarian face. Poor people do not stay outdoors out of choice," he said.
When The Times of India visited, Mullick and her daughters were reluctant to speak, but her daughter Puja Biswas said, "My mother grew up here and we were born right there." Mullick also alleged that the minister asked whether she was Bangladeshi, which she denied.
Chief Minister's assurance
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met the woman and her child at a Janata Darbar at the BJP office in Salt Lake on Tuesday. According to the Free Press Journal, Adhikari said the woman did not submit any specific complaint but that the state government would explore arrangements for shelter for the family.
"I will ask municipal commissioner Smita Pandey to look into accommodation for them," Adhikari was quoted as saying. "This is a government for everyone and it will work for everyone. The woman said that she has faith in the Chief Minister. Pavements are meant for pedestrians, not for living."
Adhikari also criticized previous administrations, asking "What did Mamata do during the last 15 years?" and stating that the CPI(M) government before that also failed to address the problem of pavement dwellers.
Perspectives
Government (BJP-led state administration): The government maintains that pavements are for pedestrians, not for living, and that the woman's family will be provided accommodation. It blames previous TMC and Left Front governments for not addressing pavement dwellers' issues.
Minister Agnimitra Paul: Paul defends the anti-encroachment drive, arguing that parking a stove on a footpath endangers the dweller and pedestrians, and that the woman has a house elsewhere.
Opposition (Trinamool Congress): MLA Kunal Ghosh calls for a "humanitarian face," emphasizing that poor people do not live on streets by choice, while supporting free footpaths for pedestrians.