Karol Bagh’s Ajmal Khan Road that is known among shoppers for selling duplicates of branded items is under the scanner after Delhi High Court recently asked Delhi Police to act against vendors allegedly selling counterfeit products here. The court’s direction covers the stretch between Karol Bagh Police Station and the Karol Bagh Metro Station, which has already been marked as a no-vending and no-hawking zone. It’s important to note here that the issue came up while HC was hearing a plea by 24 street vendors, who had earlier complained of harassment by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). During the proceedings, when the civic body showed photographs of garments and other products carrying names of several brands, the court said that if these products were indeed counterfeit then selling them is illegal and breaches the vendors’ Certificates of Vending.
The order feels like an unfair crackdown for the street vendors who are in dismay. “Yeh koi Dilli ki pehli market nahi hai jahan yeh sab bik raha ho. Har popular market mein counterfeit maal bikta hai, toh humein hi kyun mana karein? Karna hai toh har jagah ban karo,” says Raminder, who sells duplicates of branded apparel. Another vendor of first-copy belts, shares on anonymity: “Humaari rozi roti hai yeh, ekdum se kaise band kar dein? If it’s illegal to sell falsely branded clothes then what about those who make these. Why not shut them down too! We are just an easy target.”
For the buyers, however, the Court is right in its proceedings. “It’s a good thing to stop the sale of counterfeit products and it’s high time to set an example,” says Vanshika Kumar, a Delhi-bases medical student, adding, “Markets across Delhi have become so chaotic due to these vendors taking up all the space that it makes it difficult to even walk. Another regular shopper at this market, Digvijay Suhas, counters: “This whole market as well as the Gaffar Market next door is filled with such products. Why be selective and take to task only a handful of these sellers?”
Adding to the this, Delhi-based lifestyle content creator Karishma Gaur feels singling out one market is indeed unjustified, and opines, “ It’s a controversial take, but these vendors selling replicas of big brands is also what adds charm to these markets across Delhi in a way. Shoppers have been going to Karol Bagh, Sarojini Nagar markets and others specifically to buy these products for years now. So to single out one market and that too one section of it is unfair.”
{{/usCountry}}Adding to the this, Delhi-based lifestyle content creator Karishma Gaur feels singling out one market is indeed unjustified, and opines, “ It’s a controversial take, but these vendors selling replicas of big brands is also what adds charm to these markets across Delhi in a way. Shoppers have been going to Karol Bagh, Sarojini Nagar markets and others specifically to buy these products for years now. So to single out one market and that too one section of it is unfair.”
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