Evicted Patna Graduate Chai Wali Priyanka Gupta wants her store back

As part of the crackdown on illegal structures, the Patna Municipal Corporation officials took away the make-shift store of Priyanka Gupta, the Graduate Chai Wali, who shot into the limelight for becoming a self-reliant entrepreneur.

Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation officials removed the store of the famous Graduate Chai Wali of Patna, Priyanka Gupta, as part of the crackdown on illegal structures. Priyanka, in video footage, on Thursday seen crying when her store was being carried on a JCB machine. Priyanka told media persons "this is not fair on the part of the administration. I was not seeking a job from the government and I am proud of myself for being self-reliant. I had created jobs for six people also. Where will we go now, if things continue like this."

When asked what she has to say about the creation of a 10 lakh job in Bihar, Priyanka said that she does not expect anything from the government. "But those running their own business should not be uprooted. Earlier, I had applied for a PM Mudra loan but I didn't get the same from the bank. Hence, I will suggest that make PM Mudra loan more flexible," she added.

Speaking about her becoming famous as Graduate Chai Wali and several bigshots making a beeline to her stall for sipping tea, Priyanka said, that becoming famous didn't make any difference as her business was not growing. "Deputy Commissioner Sir (sic) visited my tea stalls on several occasions and assured me that I will not be disturbed or evicted. But what happened to that assurance? Deputy Commissioner Sir shouldn't have given such an ssurance to me," she said.

When asked whether she contacted the Deputy Commissioner in connection with the removal of the store, Priyanka said, "Yes I contacted him. Perhaps he was busy. "Earlier I was not expecting from the government. But now I needed a permanent store and space to run my business."