Drivers perform ‘last rites’ of scheme; protest delay in aid

Taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers on Tuesday held a protest against the delay in the distribution of the one-time monetary assistance of Rs 5,000, nearly two weeks after the state government announced the scheme.

As the lockdown rules prohibit protests and gatherings, drivers held a mock "funeral" of the scheme which has "died" before taking off. Police who arrived on the scene were told that it was not a protest but a religious event with fewer than 50 people.

Office-bearers of various taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers' associations sat on the doorsteps of the office of the transport department commissioner in Shanthinagar.

Manjunath M, the president of Adarsh Auto and Taxi Drivers' Union, said more than half of the drivers would not be able to get the aid because they wouldn't get the fitness certificates of their vehicles on time. Besides, scores of drivers saw their earnings drop since January and hardly had any money to buy gas. "Making such documents mandatory will only lead to their exclusion," he said.

The drivers suggested that the transport department had laid down elaborate conditions so as to deny them the monetary assistance and return the funds to the government saying "eligible beneficiaries did not come".

"It's been 11 days since the government announced the financial assistance but there are no signs that we are going to get it. We are protesting against the government's false promise," said Tanveer Pasha, who leads an Ola and Uber drivers' union.

Pasha alleged that although the government announced that 7.75 lakh drivers will get the aid, it has released only Rs 20 crore so far.