Vinay Sharma says thousands of families face livelihood crisis; demands vehicle fitness, not age, be the basis for commercial permits
Shimla: BJP state spokesperson Vinay Sharma on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government over the protest by taxi operators at Chaura Maidan in Shimla, saying the government’s decision to limit the permit period of commercial vehicles to 12 years was impractical and threatened the livelihood of thousands of families.
Sharma said taxi operators had been forced to take to the streets because of what he termed the government’s anti-people policies. He said the government appeared to be more concerned with imposing decisions that could push thousands of taxi operators and their families into an economic crisis.
The BJP leader said taxi operators were opposing the move to restrict vehicle permits to 12 years and were demanding that the actual fitness and roadworthiness of a vehicle, rather than its age alone, should determine whether it could continue operating commercially.
“If a vehicle meets all prescribed fitness and safety standards, forcing it out of business merely because it has completed a fixed number of years is not practical,” Sharma said.
Taking a dig at the Congress government, he said, “The government whose own political fitness has barely a year left is busy deciding the fitness of taxi operators’ vehicles.”
Sharma said the issue was particularly significant in Himachal Pradesh, where tourism is a major source of livelihood and taxi services play a crucial role in connecting tourists as well as people living in remote and difficult areas.
Taxi operators, he said, were already struggling with taxes, insurance premiums, vehicle instalments, rising fuel prices, maintenance costs and other operational expenses. Removing otherwise fit vehicles from commercial use purely on the basis of age would force operators to purchase new vehicles, placing an additional financial burden on them.
Referring to reports about the protest, Sharma said taxi operators had also raised concerns regarding vehicle passing procedures, additional GPS-related expenses and other practical issues. Instead of adopting a confrontational approach, he said, the government should hold discussions with representatives of taxi unions and find a workable solution.
“It is unfortunate that different sections of society are repeatedly being forced to protest. Employees, youth, farmers, orchardists and now taxi operators are on the streets with their demands,” he said, adding that the situation reflected a growing communication gap between the government and the public.
Sharma demanded an immediate meeting between the government and representatives of taxi operators. He said decisions regarding commercial vehicle permits should not be based solely on the age of a vehicle, but should also take into account authorised fitness inspections, the actual condition of the vehicle and prescribed safety standards.
“Taxi operators are not making an unreasonable demand. They are earning their livelihood and supporting their families through hard work and their vehicles. The Congress government should address their practical concerns instead of putting their livelihood at risk,” Sharma said.
He added that the BJP would stand with taxi operators in their fight for what he described as their legitimate demands and employment security.
