India
Taxi aggregator Ola Cabs on Sunday urged a person not to discriminate on religious lines after the latter cancelled his ride as the driver was a Muslim.
Updated : Apr 23, 2018, 07:24 PM IST
Taxi aggregator Ola Cabs on Sunday urged a person not to discriminate on religious lines after the latter cancelled his ride as the driver was a Muslim.
Replying to one Abhishek Verma, who is followed by some Union cabinet ministers on Twitter, the company said, ‘Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we don't discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times.’
In a tweet on Friday, Mishra, whose verified Twitter account says Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ideology First, Hindutva Thinker, Digital & Social Media Advisor (Views Personal), said, ‘Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don’t want to give my money to Jihadi People.’
He attached a screenshot of his Ola booking which named the cab driver.
This started a Twitter firestorm with many demanded the Ola to block his account. However, there were many who supported Mishra’s ‘right to choose’.
A few other Twitter users too posted tweets in his defence, describing his move as "freedom of expression" and shared screenshots of similar discrimination by other social media users.
On Sunday, Mishra posted a screenshot of a mail sent to him allegedly by the micro-blogging site, and said, ‘Thanks to @Twitter and it's a tight slap on the faces those trying to suspend my account.’ However, Mishra criticised Facebook for deleting his post and said, ‘Facebook tried to suppress my voice’ alas such an effort should have also be done with Reshmi R Nair and Abid Hasan. Facing opposition for speaking about Hindus but those who stand with me is my real strength.’
Mishra's Facebook profile says he is from Ayodhya and works as an IT professional in Lucknow.
He claims he is an active member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal -- both affiliates of the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- and "holds responsibility" of the IT cell of the VHP.
Cancelled #OlaCab driver because his name was Modi. In summer, one can do with less hot air.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) April 23, 2018
#ICancelledOlaCabBooking today as driver was speeding at roundabout I said is this any way to roundaboutry he replied what about whataboutry
— Kanika Gahlaut (@kanikagahlaut) April 23, 2018
Cancelled an Ola cab coz the driver was an atheist. I have too much respect for him, I should be driving for him.
— Sanil (@thedarkrebel) April 23, 2018
Cancelled an Ola Cab today as the driver was a man and all men are trash. (am I doing this right)
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) April 22, 2018
Cancelled my ola cab booking because driver’s name was “achche din” and i knew he won’t come.
— Swagshank (@zZoker) April 23, 2018
I cancelled an Ola cab ,.
— Sarkarsm (@thebakwaashour) April 23, 2018
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I have no where to go
I cancelled my OLA , because the driver didn't like Hamshakals movie
— SAIFIANS CAPTAIN (@SaifiansCaptain) April 22, 2018
I cancelled my #Ola because I wanted to ride the bandwagon today.
— Neil Balthazar (@NeilBalthazar) April 23, 2018
Cancelled Ola Cab because I don't believe in god. pic.twitter.com/CrZMb8SalA
— Sahil Rizwan (@SahilRiz) April 23, 2018
Cancelled an Ola cab because the name of the driver was ‘Amar Akkbar Anthony’ and I hate secularism. #joke
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 23, 2018
I cancelled an Ola cab because...
— Raheel Khursheed (@Raheelk) April 23, 2018
...Ola doesn't operate in Kashmir.#ThisSrinagarLyf pic.twitter.com/YblPBG6ni2
This series of “I cancelled my @Olacabs because ...” is such a brilliant, free of cost Viral campaign for Ola.
— Priya Ramani (@priyaramani) April 23, 2018
Canceled an Ola Cab booking today because driver’s name was Rishabh Jain, i got scared as i was carrying Onions.
— Akshay (@AkshayKatariyaa) April 22, 2018
While the incident of VHP man cancelling Ola because driver was Muslim is certainly shameful, it has lead to a brilliant viral advertisement for Ola. And Twitter doffed its hat to Ola for such a strong statement to call out bigotry of the man. Maybe Amazon can take a leaf out of Ola's book.
With ANI inputs