Rickshaws pullers protest harassment by e-rick owners

BIJNOR: Over 35 rickshaw pullers reached Collectorate on Wednesday to protest against the alleged harassment by the e-rickshaw owners.
The rickshaw pullers have claimed that they have been, on multiple occasions, beaten up by the e-rickshaw owners in a bid to get a passenger.
They met district magistrate Bhupendra Chaudhary and narrated their woes.They further complained that because the e-rickshaw drivers charge less and can take more than three passengers for the ride, people have started preferring e-rickshaws over rickshaws.
Mohd Sharafat, who has been pulling rickshaw for the last 40 years, said, “The e-rickshaw owners always fight with us for passengers. They beat us up just to get an extra passenger. It is getting difficult to earn money from the profession into which I have been for years now.”
Johnson, a rickshaw-puller for the last 20 years and a member of roadways rickshaw stand, said, “Four days ago, a few e-rickshaw owners beat me up; I also complained about the matter in the rickshaw association, but all in vain. The e-rickshaw drivers are generally minors and they beat us up to take passengers. Our income is getting affected due to this.”
Chandramani Raghuvanshi, president, rickshaw chaalak association, said, “The city has nearly 2,500 rickshaw-pullers and 800 e-rickshaw owners. Our income was already affected due to the entry of e-rickshaws in the market, but now our life is also at risk due to the repeated thrashing they indulge into.”
DM Chaudhary remained unavailable for a comment on the matter.