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Irked by CM’s ‘false promises’, Ludhiana auto union steps out to protest
Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s promises were called out fake by the auto-rickshaw union as no notification to waive the challan fee has been issued by the government
The Ludhiana Auto Rickshaw Works Union on Friday staged a protest at the Jagraon Bridge, accusing chief minister (CM) Charanjit Singh Channi of making false promises regarding the challan fee waiver.
Led by Lakhwinder Singh Dhillon, union leader, protesters raised slogans against Channi and removed his stickers from their auto-rickshaws. They complained that no notification has been issued by the government regarding the promised waiver.
Dhillon revealed that the CM had personally visited the union office at Gill Road, along with Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Navjot Singh Sindhu, on November 22, and had announced that the challan fee of all auto-rickshaws will be waived. Channi, according to the union chief, had also promised the release of impounded vehicles.
“A photo-op exercise was staged and nine challans of auto rickshaw drivers were waived. But when we reached the regional transport office in the mini-secretariat, we were told that no notification to waive the challan fee has been issued by the government and officials refused to remit the challan fees. This is fleecing. Now whose word should we trust. While CM assures that our challan fee has been remitted but on the ground level things have not changed,” he said.Dhillon further revealed that officials of the transport department had sought a day’s time to resolve the matter.
“We are issuing an ultimatum. If our grievances will not be redressed by tomorrow, we will stage protests and choke the roads and highways of Ludhiana district,” he later said.
Meanwhile, Gurdeep Singh Gosha, president of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD), also joinedthe protesting auto rickshaw drivers.
“For petty politics CM Channi has played with the sentiments of the needy. For mere few votes, he has lied to the poor auto drivers. It is unbecoming for a man who holds the chair of the CM. Either he is lying or the officials at the transport department are lying,” he said.
The police, led by ACP Dharmapal, were deployed to tackle the hour-long protest.
The protesters eventually returned home, but not without issuing an ultimatum of intensifying the demonstrations if the matter is not resolved by December 11.
