BENGALURU: Widespread public outrage over the recent bike taxi ban in Karnataka has triggered a social media campaign with hashtag #StepDownTransportMinister, with commuters and workers taking to X on Saturday to voice their dissent.
The campaign criticised Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy for his silence on the matter and demanded either a reversal of the decision or his resignation. “Why is banning the solution and not regulation?” questioned one user, calling the decision “not governance, but neglect”. Users pointed out that lakhs of bike taxi drivers have lost their source of income, accusing the government of deepening the unemployment crisis in the state.
The campaign argues that instead of criminalising bike taxi drivers, many of whom are the sole breadwinners of their families, the government should have created proper policies and regulatory mechanisms. “These riders are workers, not criminals,” one user wrote.
Critics also highlighted the inconsistency in allowing white-board vehicles for food delivery services, but banning the same for bike taxi operations. “If white-board bikes are allowed for food delivery, why this discrimination against bike taxis?” an aggrieved commuter asked. The ban, they say, has not only robbed thousands of their livelihood, but also dealt a blow to the gig economy.
The protest further underlines how bike taxis were bridging the gap in Bengaluru’s broken last-mile transport network. Another commuter said, “Many commuters who now have to choose auto or cab as the alternative to reach the destinations, are facing many issues because the auto drivers refuse to offer services or the cabs are too expensive.”