Auto drivers take out rally

Bhimavaram: Transport workers under the banner of Auto Workers Union JAC, responding to nationwide call to observe transport bandh, organised a rally in the town on Tuesday. 

They raised slogans against the amendment to MV Act as it would harm their interests. They threatened the governments to intensify struggle, if the government abrogate the amendment.

The union district president, Satyanarayana and CITU district vice-president B Vasudeva Rao demanded that the government led the rally from Prakasam Chowk to Tahsildar office. They submitted a memorandum to the Tahsildar.

Speaking on the occasion, Satyanarayana said that lakhs of auto drivers in the state had been affected by the amendment  made to the  MV Act. 

Auto drivers had been passing through a crisis period with increase in prices of petrol and diesel on  the one hand and harassment by police and transport officials on the other hand.

Vasudeva Rao said that the amendment would do  more harm to the transport workers. The government had been ignoring welfare of the auto drivers. 

They wanted the government to pay Rs 3,000 towards pension to the auto drivers after their retirement at the age of 50 years. 

He called upon the auto drivers to ask for funds for the welfare of the auto drivers in the budget.