PONDA: Goa State Convenor for the Rashtriya OBC Mahasangh Madhu Naik on Tuesday slammed the State government’s proposal to issue badges to people from outside Goa to start operating taxis, motorcycle taxis, rickshaws and bus services in the State.
Warning that the new system would leave Goan taxi operators, especially the bahujan people, in a dire situation, like after the closure of mining, Naik called the proposed taxi app a platform to ‘confuse the Bahujan community’.
“Due to the condition of issuing these badges only to locals, only Goans run the transport business in the State. If the badge condition is removed, it will give anyone the freedom to come and take over the only business which is in hands of the Bahujans in Goa,” said Naik, adding that the app system would only help strengthen corporations, at the cost of Goans.
“The government is doing an injustice to most taxi drivers belonging to the Bahujan community in Goa, under the guise of streamlining the public transport system,” he lamented.
“The government should present us with evidence that the taxi app system has been successful and show us how it will benefit Goans. It is a misconception that because the app has been successful in Pune, Mumbai or Bangalore, it will be successful in Goa,” he said. “The government should first ensure that 100 per cent of Goans have internet connectivity, and only then think about the app,” he said.
