Vendors at the Chindradipet fish market staged a protest on Friday against the increase in rent after former Congress MP J M Haroon Rasheed reportedly bought the market from its original owner. The vendors said they have been carrying out business here for decades and that it was unfair to raise the rent to 15,000 per shop. There are 19 shops in the market with 38 traders plying their wares. Chintadripet Fish Market Association president R Apparaj said, “If the new owner takes over the market, fishermen from the Kasimedu fishing harbour will be affected as he plans to bring produce from other states and sell them here, which would affect hundreds of families.” Another vendor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Rasheed has only paid an advance. Before him, we paid Rs 25 lakh as advance and offered to buy the market for Rs 12 crore. The original owner is under duress to sell the market to him.” Apart from fish vendors, men and women who clean the fish as well as pushcart vendors, helpers and others benefit indirectly from the market. The protestors said that the state government and the fisheries department should intervene and ensure that the market is not taken over. A woman protester said, “We will fight tooth and nail to ensure that we are not evicted and that nobody dictates terms to us.” Rasheed was not available for comment despite several attempts to contact him.