TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Private bus owners lobby in the State have appealed to its fellow colleagues to boycott BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi rally, scheduled on January 12 at Merces.
Addressing a press conference, All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) General Secretary Sudip Tamhankar appealed to all private bus operators not to render their buses to ferry BJP workers for the rally.
Tamankar said that BJP and MGP legislators have already started making calls to the bus owners demanding buses to ferry people. “I would appeal my colleagues not to render out their buses and instead continue their service to the public on that day,” he said.
BJP during its recently held legislators meeting has decided to ferry atleast five thousand people from each of their constituencies to attend the rally. BJP is expecting participation of nearly one lakh people.
Tamhankar also threatened that those associated with AGPBOA found ferrying BJP workers would be thrown out of the Association. AGPBOA has decided to petition Director Transport to direct private bus operators not to allow their buses for the rally.
There are over 900 bus operators having 1440 buses. 650 bus operators having 1000-odd buses are associated with AGPBOA.
The bus owner alleged that BJP government has not been serious towards the demands of the private bus operators and by abolishing Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and implementing pass system has crushed the business. AGPBOA while assuring to reduce the bus fares, has demanded that government should also abolish VAT on diesel.
