Delhi Auto-Taxi Union stays away from Bharat bandh despite supporting farmers

By Nishant Ketu
New Delhi [India], December 8 (ANI): Asserting that the autorickshaw and taxi drivers have already been suffering because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Delhi Auto-Taxi Union decided to stay away from the Bharat bandh call by farmers, agitating against the new agricultural laws, on Tuesday.
Delhi Auto-Taxi Union General Secretary Rajendra Soni said they support the demands of the farmers, but not the bandh. "Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the auto-taxi drivers have been suffering a lot. In such a situation it is not right to go on strike."
He alleged that the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are doing politics on this issue. "The auto-taxi drivers are being pressurised by the workers of both the parties since morning today to stay away from roads," he alleged, making it clear that the auto-taxis will run under any circumstance.
Many auto-taxi drivers also made it clear that they will continue with their work like normal days.
On the other hand, people, especially commuting to and from Noida, Faridabad, and Gurugram are facing trouble, as autorickshaw and taxi drivers avoided going out of Delhi.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Farmers' leaders have held several rounds of talks with the central government but all of them remained inconclusive so far. After the fifth round of talks, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has called another meeting on December 9. (ANI)