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Sharad Rao alone, other auto unions refuse to strike from Monday

They have welcomed the state transport department’s decision to raise the minimum fare by Re1 and update the fare revision formula.

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In what could come as a respite for commuters, most autorickshaw unions in the city have opposed the Sharad Rao-led call for a strike beginning Monday.

They have welcomed the state transport department’s decision to raise the minimum fare by Re1 and update the fare revision formula. They have said that their member drivers will continue to ply rickshaws during the strike and will not inconvenience the public.

General Secretary of the Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union and one-time Rao confidant, Thampy Kurien, said that there was no cause for imposing a strike on the drivers, since the government has already hiked the minimum fare and appointed a one-man committee to update the fare revision formulas as well. “We will place our perspectives and demands in front of the committee and try to convince it. What is the point of imposing a strike on the drivers who do not want it? Now, after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority cleared a hike of Re1 to the minimum there is an additional incentive not to strike,” said Kurien.

When pointed out that he, too had demanded more while asking for an interim fare hike, the union leader said, “It may be less but we can now convince the committee about further raising the fares while it seeks our views in developing an updated fare revision formula. Our demands are at least not being ignored now like before.”

Kurien had recently approached chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who also holds the transport portfolio, to ensure police protection to rickshaw drivers who want to ply during the strike. He said he was optimistic about the turnout of a good number of drivers during the strike.

KK Tiwari, leader of the Swabhimaan Sanghatna, concurs. “The minimum fare has been hiked now. There is no reason to strike. It is important to avoid a strike now as it will only end up hurting the drivers who will end up losing their daily earnings.”

“Around 80% of the city’s rickshaw drivers are immigrants from different States in North India and at least half of them begin the journey to their native places at this time of the year with whatever money they have saved. Some try to earn a little bit extra to be able to carry more money home. However, such strikes will prevent them from doing so.”

Haji Arafat Sheikh of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena-led Vahatuk Sena said, activists allied with the union will be posted at select spots outside railway stations to ensure that drivers are not intimidated by anyone and if someone attempts to do the same, “our activists will beat them black and blue”.

A member of the Shiv Sena-backed union confirmed that the Rickshaw Chalak Malak Sena was also opposed to the strike and has asked its drivers to not be intimidated by the tactics of the Sharad Rao-led union.

“Many drivers fear that while trying to earn a few hundred rupees, they might end up losing thousands due to the violence that is generally witnessed on such days,” the members added.

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