Driver partners of Ola and Uber cab aggregators have been denied permission by the police to conduct a hunger strike in Bengaluru.
The drivers, who had requested Assistant Commissioner of Police Thimmaiah for permission to hold a demonstration and hunger strike at Bannappa Park on KG Road, were denied permission on Sunday by the senior police officer.
The drivers alleged that they were denied their right to protest for no valid reason and claimed the police too were now supporting the companies.
Small groups of drivers were standing near MG Road-Brigade Road, UB City and other spots with placards and coin boxes, and sought donation for their cause, The New Indian Express reported.
According to Tanveer Pasha, President of Ola TaxiForSure and Uber Drivers’ Association, when the drivers approached ACP Thimmaiah with their request, he told the drivers to obtain permission from the BBMP as Bannappa Park was under its control.
“We then got permission from the BBMP and submitted the permission letter to ACP Thimmaiah. He then asked us to meet his superior, Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Malini Krishnamurthy. When we went to her for permission, she directed us to DCP Chandragupta, saying the area was under his jurisdiction,” Pasha said.
When the drivers submitted the BBMP clearance letter to DCP Chandragupta, he is said to have informed the drivers that no venue was available till March 3.
“We informed him about the BBMP clearance and he said that the venue was out of question and denied us permission to protest,” Pasha added.
As they were denied permission, a few drivers hit the roads with placards demanding their right to protest.
“We have been airing our grievances for months now and the companies and transport authorities have ignored us and are unresponsive. This is an indefinite strike. They think that if they attend a few meetings and ask for time by making false promises, they can stop the protest. We will not stop the protest,” Pasha added.