Notwithstanding the government managing to get the warring taxi owners to call off their strike pending assurances which prima facie appear to be a compromise, the public sentiment is growing against the taxi lobby.
The nature of the compromise worked out by Deputy Speaker and Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo with the taxi lobby, may have technical justifications and may have won the government the moral ground, along with the legal right it already had, to install digital meters and invite app-based taxi services, on the ground that it gave them some time on the issue of installing speed governors. But the general feeling in the minds of people is that taxi lobby ends up getting what it wants, and in this case getting fitness certificates of their taxis and an extension of time for the installation of speed governors is a relaxation from the earlier tough stand that there cannot be any going back on the issue of their installation in order to regulate speeds.
The issue of availability of speed governors needs to be undoubtedly considered. But look at the weapons with which the taxi lobby went into this agitation with. It took that stand that Goan taxi drivers cannot be singled out and asked to slow down speeds and therefore they were not prepared to install speed governors, despite clear judicial directions, making it mandatory to implement Sec 118 of the Central Motor Vehicle rules. When it became clear that no Court in the land has stayed the installation of speed governors but stated that state governments may temporarily hold the process till the product was adequately available, this was seen as window of opportunity, which was seized by the Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, in Goa’s most tourist dominated constituency, who has been steadfastly backing the taxi lobby.
The government has claimed that it has not given an inch. It has not gone back on its decision to implement court directives to install speed governors in commercial vehicles and firmly resolved to introduced app based taxis and install speed governors.
But a message has also gone out that there is a rethink on the core issue – that speed governors are needed in Goa. The rethink or a change of stand on this, from the earlier firmness on installing speed governors, needs to explained, because at this juncture, it feels like a compromise.
All this stems from a core problem and both the taxi drivers and political leaders who are backing them like the Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, must understand this. The problem is of perception. It is perceived that for long Goa’s politicians are not willing to take tough decisions against taxi drivers which are in the interest of the state. The manner in which the taxi strike was called off, has not lessened that perception, but on the contrary, strengthened it.
Here is a post from one Giriraj Pai Vernekar on Facebook “Politicians in Goa, across political parties, should be ashamed of supporting the taxi strike today. Those in the Government are accepting their failure while those in opposition are fuelling the unrest.”
Time of exactly a week should have been sought, a detailed study of availability of speed governors done and the authorities could have reverted with full facts on the number of speed governors which were currently available along with a timeline of future availability.
The bottom line, for everyone concerned is strong public opinion and here, no one apart from the striking taxi owners are pleased, Here is a sample of the many tweets and posts we have mentioned in our story on this issue, in this edition. Naomi Dutta tweeted “Never been happier to be back in Mumbai after a short hellish trip to Goa. Made infinitely worse by a continuing #TaxiStrike. Is amazing how a tourist hotspot has no decent public transportation.”
The word “hellish” should strike us all hard. When was the last time you heard a tourist’s paradise called ‘hellish” and then Dutta makes a quintessential observation when she says it’s amazing how a tourist destination like Goa does not have decent public transportation. (do read our story on this on Page 3 to see other comments on social media on the taxi strike).
To be honest, the installation of speed governors is an issue which has surfaced now. The bone of contention is actually overpricing and rude behaviour by the taxi drivers/ owners and a lot of that was witnessed, as according to reports and feedback, even during the strike, taxi owners allegedly asked some of their customers to hire private vehicles, also made available by them, whose drivers literally looted passengers. If this is correct, nothing changed, even during the strike.
All Goa wants to see is that the paying tourists must be respected, because he is a guest and he brings in revenue. Can anyone, especially the taxi lobby, wear the ‘Goenkar’, tag, by making so many visitors and other Goans unhappy, by sticking to demands which are strictly not palatable or acceptable?
