Auto Bandh On March 8 Against CI's "Harassment"

The Telangana Auto Drivers' Joint Action Committee (TADJAC) has given a call for a one-day auto bandh on March 8 in the twin cities demanding the immediate suspension of the Tolichowki Traffic Police Inspector Shiva Chandra for registering a false case against the driver of an auto rickshaw (bearing registration number AP13Y 1700) illegally, and also seeking an end to the "atrocities" of the traffic police and the RTA.

Addressing the media, TADJAC convener Mohd Amanullah Khan said that auto driver Akram, after paying a penalty of Rs 8,025 in the RTA West Zone office, approached Inspector Shiva Chandra on February 19 and requested him to release the seized vehicle which was being kept in the Goshamahal traffic yard.

To his surprise, the Inspector, instead of releasing the auto, retorted, "You have just paid the RTA challan. If you want the auto released, you have to pay the traffic challan, too." And he issued Akram another Vehicle Check Report.

That meant that the Traffic Inspector asked the driver to pay another Rs 8,025, Amanullah Khan said.

The TADJAC would go on a one-day bandh for the immediate suspension of the inspector for his cruel attitude, Khan said, and demanded that the traffic police withdraw the challan against the driver and release the vehicle without further delay.

Khan also clarified that the proposed bandh on March 8 was not against the state government but only against the harassment by the traffic police and the RTA authorities, who he said were bringing a bad name to the TRS government in connivance with the opposition parties. The authorities were registering thousands of cases against auto drivers with an intention to bring disrepute to Chief Minister KCR, he claimed.

He also demanded that the government exempt drivers from the "8th class pass" condition as promised by the Chief Minister.