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The Mumbai Taximen’s Union has sent a letter to the CM claiming compensation for the more than 20 taxis that have been vandalised by the MNS since Sunday. “If government doesn’t pay the damages, we will take strict action. We cannot bear anyone beating up our taxi drivers,” said A L Quadros, general secretary of the Union.
According to Quadros, it is the primary duty of the government and the police to protect taxi operators and allow them to work smoothly. “Taxi drivers serve Mumbaikars,” added Quadros, whose union has 45,000 cab drivers.
The total damages to taxis have amounted to around Rs 1.5 lakh. Quadros said this does not include those who have not come forward to complain. Several cab drivers who are from UP did not take out their taxis yesterday. “But I told them to drive their cars without being scared and also assured them that the union would compensate them in case of any damage,” added Quadros.
Autos for Marathis
In 1974, during the Sharad Pawar government, a committee meeting of Pawar, MLAs and then transport officer Hasmukh Upadhyaya had decided that permit to drive an auto would be given only to Maharashtrians. Initially, Marathis supported this decision, but later started giving out the autos on rent to other drivers, a maximum of whom were from UP. Now, almost 90 per cent of auto drivers are from UP.
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