The hawkers' unions charged that the BMC's drive was directed against hawkers hailing from states other than Maharashtra, and it wasn't just aimed at driving out hawkers near railway stations, because even those doing business at places like the Fashion Street were being targetted. A hawker from Bhandup claimed he had been forced to sign a statement that he would not hawk near the railway station.

Azmi said the BMC couldn't remove hawkers without providing alternate accommodation to them. At Bandra and Khar, he said, a new set of hawkers had occupied the ``cleared'' area with the connivance of police officialsand the BMC staff. Only non-Shiv Sainiks were being targetted by BMC, he felt.

The delegation requested the mayor to halt the drive till Diwali, and Azmi said Satam agreed to slow down the action. But the mayor, when contacted, categorically denied having given any such assurance and said the drive would continue with the same force. Refuting the charge that only hawkers belonging to certain communities were being driven out, Satam said: ``The action at Ghatkopar was mainly against Shiv Sainiks.'' On the allegation that the BMC had not targetted hawkers at Dadar because it was the Chief Minister's constituency, Satam said the delay took place because the hawkers had written to him ``saying they would go once the flower market was shifted.'' This was a good gesture from the hawkers, who agreed to leave on their own, he added.

Protection for demolition squads

Following the attack on two BMC officials and two labourers -- part of the BMC's demolition squad -- by hawkers at Goregaon railway stationon Friday, the civic body has drawn up a plan to set up police chowkies at all railway stations in the city.

Till the time the chowkies are set up, armed police officers and security guards will be sent along with demolition squads, informed the deputy municipal commissioner in charge of demolitions, Chandrashekhar Rokde. One of the BMC officials who were beaten up has been admitted to Cooper Hospital and is reported to have slipped into coma.