A makeover of Calcutta?s image has now been put on hold. The left-run Calcutta municipal corporation has decided that hawkers are here to stay on the city?s pavements. Never mind the fact that they have been there on the pavements anyway, thereby robbing the people of their right to use the facility. The civic body?s decision is obviously inspired by the forthcoming assembly elections. But what is more important is that this is a major setback to Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee?s attempts to change Calcutta?s image. Clearing the city?s pavements of the ever-multiplying tribe of hawkers was part of his scheme to make the city cleaner and its traffic faster. It is difficult to believe that the left-run civic body took such an important decision without the chief minister?s approval. He may have been forced by electoral compulsions not to overrule the corporation?s decision. Whatever his reasons, Mr Bhattacharjee has to take the blame for the damage that the decision will inevitably cause to the changing perception of both the city and his government. The episode is bound to strengthen suspicions that the chief minister is not really as free to change things in Bengal as he wants to be. The damage that the corporation?s decision may cause to the chief minister?s image could be worse than its impact on the city?s makeover.

The larger issue, of course, relates to the rights of the citizen. The elections may have brought the political focus back on the hawkers. The decision could be aimed also at re-establishing the pro-poor image of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The party may have been a trifle concerned that the recent drives against the squatter colonies in the city had partially dented this image. Re-settling hawkers on the pavements would thus be seen by the party?s leaders as a damage-control exercise. But the chief minister should have put the rule of law and the citizens? legal rights above such partisan considerations. Calcuttans have long been deprived of such basic rights as the freedom to use the facilities for which they pay taxes to the corporation. Political parties conspired with an inept administration to rob the citizens of these rights. It needs to be mentioned that the previous civic board, run by the Trinamool Congress, allowed the hawkers to return to the pavements. It is not only the city?s image but also the citizens? rights that need to be restored.