Mangalore: Auto drivers demand Abhaychandra Jain's removal from cabinet
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Jan 1: Various like-minded associations along with the DK district auto rickshaw drivers' and owners' union and Mulky auto drivers' and owners' union staged a protest in front of the DC's office here on Wednesday January 1, demanding justice in the case related to the alleged attempt to assault an auto driver in Mulky by minister for youth affairs Abhaychandra Jain. They also demanded a public apology and sought his removal from the state cabinet.
Addressing the protestors, Vishnumurthy, president of DK district auto drivers' and owners' union said, "It is unbecoming of a minister to attempt to assault an auto driver who is staging a protest. Being in a responsible position, he should have shown patience rather than being rude."
Demanding that Jain be sacked from his post, he said, "Chief minister Siddaramaiah should remove the minister from the cabinet immediately, if not, let him declare that his party does not want the votes of any auto drivers and owners. We have been facing a lot of issues especially with regard to increase in the auto LPG price hike. Hence the government must look into these matters seriously and not just assault the protestors."
"The minister (Abhaychandra Jain) must apologise to the auto drivers publicly, failing which we will continue our protest. Also, the LPG rate must be revised, if not, we will increase the auto fare without even bringing it to the notice of the authorities," he warned.
Prashant, the auto driver who Jain allegedly tried to assault, Ashok Kumar, Mohammed Rifwan, Arun, Alias, Sunil Kumar Bajal, L T Suvarna, Mohammed Ansar and others were present.
Mulky
Sunil Halengady
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (EP)
Nearly 600 auto rickshaws observed strike against the attempt to assault auto driver Prashanth by minister Abhayachandra Jain during an agitation decrying the pathetic condition of the road at Charantipete.
The protesters demanded a public apology from the minister and Congress leaders. Bipin Prasad, president of the union of rickshaw drivers and owners said that the protest would be held at a large scale if their demands were not met.
The protests affected Mulky, Kinnigoli, Kolnad, Haleangady, Karnad, Balkunje, Kateel, S Kodi, Kanchanakere and Moorukaveri areas. People depending on autos were put to great hardships. Car and tempo owners also expressed their support to the strike.
The 150- meter long road work which had caused the controversy is being repaired now. The work ha started on Tuesday, December 31.
However, Congress block president Payyottu Sadashiva Salian said that the whole episode was a drama created with a hidden agenda by the BJP and JD(S) to suppress the Congress and spoil the image of the minister. "The president of Mulky rickshaw drivers' and owners' union was directly responsible for it," he added.
Clarifying the incident that occurred on Monday December 30, he said that the president of the rickshaw union had misused his post and made the poor rickshaw drivers scapegoats. Claiming that he was not informed of the strike despite being its honorary president, he announced that he would resign from his post.
Munir Karnad said that the president of the rickshaw union had a secret discussion with the BJP in the evening on the day of the incident and said that the union will break into two because of the incident.
Dhananjay Kotian alleged that a police official also got involved in the incident and action will be urged against him.
Self proclaimed Congress leader Baladitya Alva said that it was surprising that the media was taking pictures of the incident before it had even occurred. "They knew about it in advance," he said, blaming the media. The journalists present at the protest there objected to the statement causing a commotion. The Congress leaders then confronted Alva and apologized for his talk. The protest meet got over amid confusion.
M B Noor Mohammed, Gunapala Shetty, Vasanth Bernard, Dhanajay Kotian, Shalet Pinto, Shashikanth Shetty and others were present.