Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 9: Apni Party leaders today held a protest in support of auto, taxi, and all passenger vehicles drivers demanding a financial package in their favour.
Led by Apni Party’s provincial president, Manjit Singh, the leaders and workers of the party assembled here at Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar and staged a protest in support of the drivers.
The protest was organised by Apni Party leaders Ajaz Kazmi, Abhay Bakaya and Sheetal Singh in which Incharge Taxi Operator Railway Manmeet Singh, Tempo Traveler Kuldeep Sharma, Taxi Union Sheel Dutt (Shashi) and Vicky Kumar member of the Auto Union Federation also participated.
These drivers, Manjit Singh while speaking on the occasion, said are the backbone of the transport sector in J&K and the COVID situation has made them jobless as the public transport has remained closed for over six months.
The Apni Party provincial president demanded that the Labour Department should register these drivers who have worked in unorganized sectors and have no other source of earning.
“The road and registration taxes are huge and it has led to their starvation like situation. Registering public transport drivers with the Labour Department will enable the Government to chalk out strategy for their welfare and financial support,” he said.
The former Minister said that the Toll Plazas have further over burdened them and demanded that they should not be charged at Toll Plazas in view of the financial situation of the people from one year.
“The Government must come forward to support the drivers. Like other trade and business, the transport sector has also suffered badly. The vehicles are standard and the passengers’ vehicles are not plying on the roads in full strength. On the other hand, people also avoid using public transport means due to fear of COVID ,” said Manjit Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Ajaz Kazmi said that the party will not leave drivers alone at the moment of crisis. “The Lt Governor should personally look into the issue to end the suffering of the drivers,” Kazmi demanded.
The protest was joined by the party leaders including Ex-MLA Faqir Nath, OBC State coordinator, Madan Lal Chalotra, Shanker Singh Chib, Gourav Kapoor, Vajinder Singh Dutta, Tajinder Singh, Yasir Choudhary, Shabir Kohli, Raj Kumar Lalotra, Sohan Singh Soni, Vaibhav Mattoo, Joginder Singh, Jagmeet Singh Bali, Ghulam Mohammed Shah, Vishal Zuotshi, Sanjay Dhar, Suhail Khajuria, Raqeeq Ahmed Khan, Sushil, Raj Sharma among others.
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