Mamata back on the streets as hawker eviction row intensifies

Just weeks after suffering a major setback in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress supremo and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again took to the streets of Kolkata on Wednesday, leading a protest march against the ongoing eviction of hawkers across the state.

In a surprise move that caught even many party leaders and sections of the administration off guard, Banerjee arrived at Esplanade (Dharmatala) and joined a procession protesting what she described as the "inhuman" eviction of hawkers without adequate rehabilitation.

Walking at the front of the march, Banerjee was accompanied by Trinamool leaders Kunal Ghosh, Dola Sen and Ratna Sur. Protesters raised slogans against what they termed a "bulldozer policy" and carried placards demanding protection for the livelihoods of thousands of small traders.

The march began near the Tipu Sultan Mosque and proceeded along Lenin Sarani towards Raja Subodh Mullick Square.

For Mamata Banerjee, the hawker issue is about much more than a protest against footpath evictions.

After losing power in the 2026 Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress has been struggling to regain political momentum. The party has also faced organisational difficulties, internal uncertainty and questions about its future direction.

Political observers believe the hawker movement provides Banerjee with an opportunity to reconnect with one of her party's traditional support bases — the urban poor, small traders and informal workers who depend on street vending for survival.

The issue also allows her to project herself once again as a leader of street movements, a political identity that helped build her career over decades.

Many hawkers fear losing their only source of income. By standing alongside them, Banerjee is attempting to position herself as the voice of those who feel vulnerable amid the ongoing eviction drives.

Party leaders argue that footpath vendors and roadside traders support entire families and that rehabilitation must come before any eviction.

Before the Trinamool formally entered the agitation, the Left parties were the most visible political force opposing the eviction drives.

Left leaders, including Mohammad Salim and Shamik Lahiri, had criticised the removals and argued that hawkers cannot be evicted without proper rehabilitation.

Earlier, at Jadavpur Railway Station, Left activists joined demonstrations against the removal of vendors. Similar protests were reported at Habra Railway Station, where Left supporters confronted police during operations to clear railway land.

Political analysts note that the Left had initially occupied much of the political space surrounding the issue. Banerjee's decision to personally join Wednesday's march is therefore being viewed as an attempt to ensure that the concerns of hawkers do not become an issue dominated solely by the Left parties.

According to political parties and hawker organisations, eviction and demolition drives have recently taken place at several locations, particularly around railway properties and major transport hubs.

Among the locations repeatedly mentioned during the protests are Sealdah Railway Station, Howrah Railway Station, Jadavpur Railway Station and Habra Railway Station.

Hawker organisations claim that hundreds of traders face uncertainty regarding their future, while authorities maintain that encroachments on public and railway land must be removed.

Banerjee has repeatedly argued that demolitions should not take place without giving affected people an opportunity to be heard.

She has questioned why authorities are resorting to demolition when legal provisions exist for penalties, fines and regularisation in certain cases.

Hawker representatives welcomed Mamata Banerjee's presence at the protest, arguing that thousands of families depend on roadside businesses and that eviction without rehabilitation would leave many without an income. A large turnout of hawkers, party workers, supporters and members of the public attended the protest.

Many hawkers present at the rally said they felt reassured that a major political leader had taken up their cause. Several participants argued that they were not opposed to regulation but wanted alternative arrangements before being removed from their places of business.

Speaking after the protest, Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said, "We will not accept the eviction of hawkers without rehabilitation. People's livelihoods cannot be snatched away."

Banerjee also made an unexpected appearance at the Calcutta High Court. On Wednesday, she quietly visited the court and filed an election petition challenging the result of the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, where she was defeated by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

In her petition, Banerjee alleged irregularities in the counting process and sought judicial scrutiny of the election result.

The visit attracted attention because the former Chief Minister, who enjoys Z-plus security, arrived without the usual convoy and security arrangements that typically accompany her movements.

The BJP dismissed the petition and mocked the move. BJP leader Dilip Ghosh remarked, "She rushes to the court whenever she faces a problem. The person who lost by more than 15,000 votes is now asking for a recount and a re-poll."

The case is likely to add another chapter to the political battle between Banerjee and the BJP following the 2026 election outcome.

Wednesday's march at Dharmatala may ultimately be remembered as more than a protest against hawker evictions.

For Mamata Banerjee, it represents an effort to rebuild her political connection with ordinary people after electoral defeat. For the Trinamool Congress, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that it remains a force capable of mobilising supporters on the streets.