Ponnam accuses BRS leaders of shedding crocodile tears

metro india news  I hyderabad :

Minister for Transport Ponnam Prabhakar has accused the BRS leaders of shedding "crocodile tears" over the plight of auto workers. He questioned the sincerity of the previous BRS government, asking what concrete measures it had taken for their welfare during its 10-year rule. 

Dismissing allegations that initiatives like free bus travel for women and metro services have negatively impacted auto drivers, the Minister emphasised that such claims are baseless, stating that metro services and free travel schemes do not deter people from using autos.

"Even now, passengers rely on autos to commute from their homes to bus stands," he added. Addressing financial assistance for auto workers, Ponnam Prabhakar acknowledged the government's earlier promise of providing Rs.12,000 annually to them during elections. However, he attributed the failure to deliver this year to an economic crisis, promising that future measures would support the community.

Taking a dig at the BRS leaders, the Minister criticised their protests involving MLAs dressing like auto workers and staging political drama. He urged them to refrain from such theatrics and focus on genuine solutions. "If you truly care about auto workers, have you ever submitted a representation to the Transport Minister regarding their issues?" Ponnam asked.

The Minister called for a meaningful discussion on the challenges faced by auto workers, inviting all stakeholders to engage democratically instead of resorting to political stunts