Warangal: Auto drivers to take up signature campaign

Warangal: The auto-rickshaw drivers played a massive role in the Telangana agitation, Telangana Auto Drivers Union (TADU) president, senior advocate and TRS leader Gudimalla Ravi Kumar said. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that as many as 22 auto drivers sacrificed their lives for the cause of Telangana during the separate State Movement.

The then united Andhra Pradesh government foisted criminal cases against 6,000 auto drivers during the agitation, he added. In all, the auto drivers stayed away from work for about 700 days during the 14-year-old agitation, he said.

"During the agitation, the TRS leadership promised to set up a corporation with Rs 1,000 crore for the welfare of 6 lakh auto drivers. It's been eight years since the formation of Telangana; however, the auto drivers are yet to get their wish fulfilled," Gudimalla said.

With no support from the government, the auto drivers faced immense financial problems during the coronavirus pandemic, and they still struggle, Gudimalla said. In addition to the pandemic effect, the auto drivers also had to bear the losses due to constant rise in the prices of petrol and diesel, he said.

The rise in the prices of essential commodities also pushed the auto drivers into distress as many of them committed suicide. "We are organising a signature campaign from July 5 to 12, demanding a corporation with Rs 1,000 crore for the welfare of auto drivers," Gudimalla said, appealing to people and all political parties to support their campaign.

TADU leaders Adepu Venkateshwarlu, Mekala Ravinder, D Suri, E Raju, S Mahender, Karunakar, K SivaA Prashanth, Sajju and Siva were among others present.