To counter Shiv Sena's vada-pav, BJP proposes 'Namo tea stall'

Mumbai: In a bid to counter Shiv Sena’s Shiv Vada Pav stalls that are popular on city streets, the BJP may now start NaMo tea stalls, named after Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Improvements Committee chairman Prakash Gangadhare of the BJP on Friday tabled a proposal in the BMC’s general body meeting to that effect. He has proposed that the civic administration make arrangements to enable setting up of such street stalls in Mumbai. He claimed this would also generate employment.

As per Mr Gangadhare’s proposal, the stalls can be set up in three sizes, depending on the availability of space in the said area. Depending on the size of the stalls, the owner would be able to house utensils, electricity connection, seating area, water connection, sinks, and so on.

Meanwhile, to aid interested candidates to kick-start the business, Mr Gangadhare has proposed that loans be granted for this purpose under PM Mudra Yojana.

Even as Mr Gangadhare has denied speculations that this move is a bid to capture the hawker class of Mumbai, which has traditionally thrived under the secure policies promoted by Shiv Sena. This proposal was sent to municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta, to check its feasibility and see if arrangements could be made lawfully to accommodate the stalls.

The letter written by Mr Gangadhare to the administration, states, “Mumbai has the problem of unemployment in abundance. A lot of people from drought-hit areas are moving to cities, and survive in terrible financial conditions. Such stalls will alleviate their condition.”