Team Herald
PANJIM: On the 14th day of their strike, the taxi unions demanded that the Chief Minister meet them at Azad Maidan to resolve their grievances.
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The demand comes against the backdrop of the meeting which is supposed to take place at the Secretariat on Tuesday between the Transport Department and a delegation of taxi operators.
The taxi operators along with their families were present on the streets of Panjim outside Azad Maidan.
Taxi union leader Laxman ‘Bappa’ Govekar said they are willing to take the necessary steps to ensure that their demands are met.
The family members comprising mostly women such as the wives of the taxi operators, criticised how taxi owners have been labelled as “mafia” and “goonda raj” which they said is not true. They also called on the State government to address their issues immediately.
Taxi union leader Yogesh Govekar said the statements given by the Transport Minister that the taxi operators are agitating because they do not want to install digital meters is false.
Pointing out that the meters is a secondary issue, they said as per the Motor Vehicle Act, there is no rule for tourist taxi vehicles to install digital meters, nor is there any amendment in that regard and on that note they asked the State government to only ask them to do things as per the MV ACT.
Taxi union leaders reiterated that their main demand is the cancellation of GoaMiles and that a decision has to be made not to allow app-based taxi business to function.
Govekar said Revolutionary Goans had in the past had tried to promote a taxi-app business, which the cabbies had opposed.
Govekar said the government has not yet sent any official communication to them regarding Tuesday’s meeting.
The government was also criticised for not sending any representative to meet them during the last 14 days. Political parties like Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Goa Forward Party (GFP), Shiv Sena, MGP, etc, as well as regional social activists have also attended the protests.
