At a massive protest rally organised by the AAP, party convener Arvind Kejriwal put forth four demands before the Centre concerning e-rickshaws. He urged the government to do away with the condition of a person being Class X pass for plying an e-rickshaw as it would away means snatching away the livelihood of many. He also demanded that the Centre cut the Rs. 5 lakh cost of registration and giving clearance to a specific model of rickshaw as many e-rickshaws are assembled.
He also sought holding of special camps for registration and giving licence so as to avoid harassment of e-rickshaw drivers at the hands of corrupt officials.
The AAP leader, who got a rousing welcome from the gathering, also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inviting “Americans and Japanese for business in India but letting the poor, who want to earn by plying e-rickshaws, suffer in poverty.”
“Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari made false promises to you (e-rickshaw drivers) at the Ramlila Maidan on June 17. He deceived you. First he made promises and then brought this notification. Even the Delhi High Court had in its order appreciated the concept of e-rickshaws and asked the government to frame an appropriate policy but it failed to do so,” he said.
‘Suicide only option’Tej Singh Saini, an e-rickshaw driver, sent a handwritten note to those on the stage. He had written that he was an electrician in Swaroop Nagar but took a loan and started plying e-rickshaw as it was more promising. He had written that he had three kids and the family had been starving for three months ever since the controversy around the e-rickshaw erupted. He also threatened that he will commit suicide in 10-15 days if the government failed to pay heed.
Guddu Bhai, another e-rickshaw driver also felt that suicide was the only option. Sharing his family’s crisis after the ban, he sobbed on the stage.
Ashwini, a person with disability and a widower, who has four daughters said, “We try to ply rickshaws in the late night hours but even then police personnel come and beat us up.”
Suresh of an e-rickshaw federation said: “Better days have come for better people. We are poor. There is nothing better for us….We had not asked for anything from the government. How can a chai wala not understand our plight?”
Mr Kejriwal and party colleague Manish Sisodia, however, told the rickshaw drivers that they should not think of suicide but be ready to fight against the “hawa-hawai policy” of the Centre and fill the Tihar Jail if the need arises.
Party leader Sanjay Singh said “in a country where there is no educational qualification for a Cabinet Minister, what is the meaning of giving e-rickshaw license only to Class X pass people. This means a Cabinet Minister can be illiterate but a driver must not be.”
Cleaning the litterAfter concluding his speech, Mr Kejriwal asked the drivers to clear the litter around them. “Before leaving, I request all of you to clear the waste around you,” he requested.
Mediapersons were also asked to take along or dispose of their water bottles. At the beginning of his speech, Mr Kejriwal said, “Mr. Modi had announced nine ambassadors for the Swacch Bharat mission. I would say the ‘safai karamcharis’ are the tenth ambassador. Government should look into their issues too.”
