KTR drives autorickshaw to Assembly to raise problems faced by three-wheeler drivers

Hyderabad (The Uttam Hindu): Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao reached the Telangana State Assembly by driving an autorickshaw to highlight the problems faced by autorickshaw drivers following the implementation of the free bus travel scheme by the Congress government in the state. Other MLAs and MLCs of BRS also came to the Assembly and Council in three-wheelers wearing khaki shirts as a mark of solidarity with autorickshaw drivers. The legislators of the main opposition party reached the Legislature complex in a rally from MLA Quarters. They were carrying placards and raising slogans, drawing the attention of the government. They demanded that the Congress government implement the promises made to the autorickshaw drivers Talking to media persons, Rama Rao said that during the elections, the Congress party made numerous promises to 8 lakh auto drivers but none of those promises have been fulfilled.

"The deaths of 93 auto drivers by suicide in the state are nothing short of government-driven tragedies," said KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known. The BRS leader said they provided the list of auto drivers who died by suicide during previous Assembly sessions but the state government remains indifferent. KTR demanded that the government should immediately come to the rescue of the families of auto drivers who died by suicide. "The government, which used auto drivers for election gains, has forgotten all the promises made to them," he said, demanding that the financial aid of Rs 12,000 promised to auto drivers should be announced immediately. The promise to establish a welfare board for auto drivers must be fulfilled without delay, the former minister said. He appealed to autorickshaw drivers not to resort to suicide and promised that the BRS party would fight for their rights. "In solidarity with auto drivers, we are heading to the Assembly in autos, wearing their uniforms. The BRS party stands with auto drivers and will continue to fight for their cause," KTR added.