Hundreds of autorickshaw owners and drivers observed a bandh and took out protest marches in various districts of Kittur Karnataka region on Monday opposing the Shakti scheme of the State government which allows women to travel free on State-run buses, saying that it has adversely affected their lives.
In Hubballi and Dharwad, a majority of autorickshaw drivers did not operate their autorickshaws on Monday in protest against the government scheme. They took out a protest march on the thoroughfares of the city and held road blockades for some time to register their protest.
The autorickshaw drivers and owners also demanded relief from the State government in the wake of the adverse impact of the government scheme on their lives. They demanded that their auto loans be waived, urged the government not to implement the Shakti scheme within a radius of 20 km of urban areas and sought free education for their children.
In Hubballi, they held roadblocks and staged a demonstration at Kittur Chennamma Circle. A similar kind of protest was held in Dharwad at Jubilee Circle.
They raised slogans against the government saying that by introducing the scheme, the government has snatched away their livelihood.
Minister visits
Labour Minister Santosh Lad then met the protesting autorickshaw drivers and owners at Kittur Chennamma Circle and assured them of conveying their grievances to the Chief Minister and the Transport Minister.
Mr. Lad said that their issues will be deliberated upon in the meeting of the Transport Minister and the government will take a suitable decision. He will also apprise the Minister concerned and the Chief Minister of their grievances.
Submitting a memorandum to the Minister, president of Autodrivers Association Shekharayya Hiremath listed out the various demands of the association and told the Minister that they are facing hardships in eking out a living after the introduction of the Shakti scheme.
The Minister was accompanied by Congress leader Anilkumar Patil and others.
Similar protests were staged by autorickshaw drivers and owners at various places in the region and they demanded that they should be compensated for the loss they suffered owing to the implementation of the Shakti scheme.
