Bhubaneswar: A day after online taxi drivers indulged in violence and clashed with police in Bhubaneswar, a political row erupted in Odisha with opposition political parties and ruling BJP trading charges on Thursday.
While Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress held the government responsible for the violence, the ruling BJP alleged that the opposition regional party was behind the violent incidents during the protest by OLA, Uber and Rapido taxi drivers in the city on Wednesday.
Condemning vandalism and attack on police by the drivers, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty told reporters that 400 to 500 autos were parked at a time on the main roads of Bhubaneswar and blocked them.
However, there was apparently no prior information about this with the police administration. The drivers’ association had also held discussion with the Transport Minister earlier, he said, and sought to know as to how the drivers held protest on Wednesday, while the police had given permission to them only for one day on Monday.
Stating that the drivers were protesting with legitimate demands like fare revision, reduction in app commission, and social security, Mohanty said instead of discussing with them and resolving the problem, the state government remained silent.
As a result, the discontent grew and took a violent turn, the BJD spokesperson said, adding that it is unfortunate that the Intelligence Department could not know this before blocking important roads like railway stations and airports.
Claiming that the incident shows the failure of the Intelligence Department, he said the Chief Minister, who holds the home portfolio, will have to answer for this failure.
Mohanty demanded a high-level investigation into the alleged failure of the Intelligence Department and police administration.
Refuting the allegations levelled by BJD, leaders of the ruling BJP have claimed that the violence during the protest by online taxi drivers was a handiwork of BJD.
Accusing BJD of being responsible for the violence, BJP MLA Manoranjan Dyan Samantaray alleged that opposition forces deliberately created the unruly incidents in the name of the cab drivers’ agitation in an attempt to defame the state government and create a negative impression about its handling of the situation.
The allegations, however, have drawn sharp reactions from both the BJD and the Congress.
BJD MLA Sarada Jena alleged that the government was shifting the blame instead of acknowledging its failure and addressing the reasons behind the unrest.
Congress also lashed out at the state government and alleged that the government failed to engage in meaningful discussions with the protesting cab drivers and instead allowed the situation to deteriorate.
Congress leaders, including MLA C S Rajan Ekka said had the government held talks with the protesters at the right time, the situation could have been handled more effectively. They accused the ruling party of failing to manage the agitation and subsequently blaming the opposition for the violence.
