BENGALURU: Cab drivers in Bengaluru have come out with a silent protest against the state government, about their struggle to make ends meet. The drivers clicked selfies, holding up empty vessels, in a symbolic protest to show that they cannot afford essentials. Tanveer Pasha, president of Ola Uber Drivers and Owners’ Association, said their income has reduced to zero after the lockdown was imposed on March 24. “Drivers pay road and vehicle taxes, and many more.
We cannot get basic necessities and medication for our families,” he said. “We had requested the government to help drivers but have got no response from them. Other states have helped drivers with supplies,” Pasha told TNIE.
According to Pasha, house owners continue to ask for rents while financiers are demanding that EMIs be paid. Currently, there are 5 lakh auto and cab drivers in the city. “How do we survive this?” asked M Manjunath, president of Adarsha Auto Union.
The union recently sent a letter to the government, on issues faced by auto drivers. They said that they are harassed by cops who ask them to pay traffic fines even during the lockdown.
The union has also asked for an extension of loan period by three months, as financiers are seizing their vehicles due to non-payment. “How do I feed my family? This is my only source of income. I am living off my savings, but it is not enough to sustain us, especially since people are saying the lockdown will be extended,” said Ahmed Majeed, an autodriver from Shivaji Nagar.