Team Herald
PANJIM: On the third day of their agitation, a large number of local taxi owners and drivers gathered at Azad Maidan, here, on Thursday for their ‘mega’ strike against the app-based GoaMiles taxi service.
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They said that they will not hold any discussion with the government over installing meters or about their rates until GoaMiles is scrapped. They also issued a warning of courting arrest en-masse if one of them is arrested and said their numbers will outnumber the strength of the police force sent to take action against them.
They added that they will stop their strike the moment GoaMiles is scrapped and will then sit with the government to discuss issues of installing meters etc.
The taxi owners threatened to block the Atal Setu Bridge, Zuari Bridge and Siolim Bridge on Friday.
“We want the assurances in writing from the Transport Department,” said a protestor.
Claiming that their strike was a success, the taxi owners said they had ensured that all taxis were not operating on the streets throughout Goa.
Their implication was that the State government would be embarrassed as tourists in the State, especially coastal areas were without the otherwise easily accessible transport options. They blamed the BJP-led government for this mess and launched a tirade against them for not doing enough for ‘Goenkarponn’.
“The hotel industry today in Goa has come up because of us (taxi owners). But now we are suffering and are being displaced when this business is for us only. We are against GoaMiles and any taxi app aggregator and will oppose any new entrant as well,” said one of the protestors.
Laxman ‘Bappa’ Korgaonkar’, taxi union leader lashed out at Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, who accused the local taxis of charging exorbitant rates and called the minister a hypocrite.
He listed out various examples of how Ajgaonkar as a businessman, politician and minister had indulged in shameful activities, thus depriving Ajgaonkar of the right to criticise them.
Bappa added they are fed up of running after the government for the last four years to get GoaMiles scrapped and that now, they won’t approach the government anymore but it will be the government who will have to approach them as their strike will continue indefinitely until their demands are fulfilled.
“Now if any incident happens, the government will be responsible for it,” said Bappa, while warning that their protest will escalate as the taxi owners are very angry.
Another of the union leaders said the large crowds were just a glimpse of their group’s unity, while hitting back at charges levelled against them that they only represent a minority.
In view of the police presence around Azad Maidan, they reiterated their readiness to court arrest en-massed and said they are not scared of the police.
Shiv Sena Goa Union leader Jitesh Kamat also visited the protestors and said they should have an elected representative in the Goa Legislative Assembly and that only then will the government meet their demands.
