Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar today accused the BRS leaders of shedding crocodile tears over the plight of the auto drivers of the State.
He questioned the sincerity of the previous BRS government, and asked what concrete measures it had taken for the welfare of the drivers during its 10-year rule.
Dismissing allegations that initiatives like free bus travel for women and the Metro Rail services had negatively impacted auto drivers, the minister said such claims were baseless.
He said that the free travel schemes and Metro Rail services did not deter people from using autos. "Even now, passengers rely on autos to commute from their homes to bus stands," he said.
Criticising the protests by some BRS MLAs dressed like auto drivers, he said that they were just staging a political drama, and asked them to refrain from such theatrics and focus on genuine solutions.
"If you truly care about the auto drivers, have you ever submitted a representation to the Transport Minister regarding their issues?" the minister asked.
Addressing the demand for financial assistance for auto drivers, Prabhakar acknowledged the government's promise during the election campaiging of providing Rs 12,000 annually to them, and attributed the failure to deliver on it this year to an economic crisis. He promised measures soon that would support the auto driver community.
The minister also called for a meaningful discussion on the challenges faced by the auto drivers, inviting all stakeholders to engage democratically instead of resorting to "political stunts".
filed in:Telangana, Ponnam Prabhakar, BRS, Auto Rickshaws, Transport