Rickshaw drivers' strike in Ahmedabad received mixed reactions on the first day. The driver said - Difficulty in running the house, I can't sleep at night

The Pragati Rickshaw Drivers Ekta Union in Ahmedabad has called for a two-day strike from August 5 today to protest against the ever-increasing price of CNG. However, the strike has seen a mixed response in the city as major organisations, including the Ahmedabad Rickshaw Drivers Ekta Union, did not support the strike. A large number of rickshaw pullers were seen carrying passengers as usual in key areas like SG Highway and ISKCON Circle. On the other hand, rickshaw pullers who supported the strike in areas including Vastrapur Phatak took to the road and parked rickshaws on the side to protest. In the meantime, to make the strike a success, the rickshaws carrying passengers were stopped midway and the passengers were evacuated from them, which also created scenes of heavy scuffle between the rickshaw drivers. 'If the demands are not accepted, there will be an agitation' Due to this strike and tension, employees, college students and elderly commuters had to suffer a lot. People could not reach their destination in time and were forced to walk. The protesting unions have given a clear warning that if their demands regarding the CNG price hike are not accepted, then there will be a more violent agitation in the coming days. A rickshaw driver said that in the face of the increase in gas prices, they have also demanded an increase in the fare of the rickshaw and a reduction in the price of gas. The student, who goes in a rickshaw every day, said that there is a problem due to the strike. If you don't get a rickshaw, you have to walk 10 kilometers. Rickshaw drivers protest against continuous increase in CNG prices For a long time, the price of CNG has been continuously increased by the Adani company. At the same time, a few days ago, on August 1, the rickshaw drivers were in trouble due to the simultaneous increase of Rs 4. Earlier, when the price of CNG was increased, the rickshaw pullers also demanded an increase in the fare. After a meeting with the transport commissioner, the fare hike was approved. But as no notification has been issued by the government for the fare hike yet, rickshaw drivers cannot take the fare with the hike. 'Trouble running the house, I can't sleep at night' Rickshaw driver Chimanbhai, who is in support of the strike, said, "We are demanding that all the rickshaw drivers who are carrying passengers are stopped peacefully and empty the rickshaws and support the protest against the CNG price hike. It has become very difficult to run the house and I can't sleep at night. 'If you fill 250 gas cylinders, you get 100 rupees' Rickshaw driver Praveenbhai said, "We demand that the fare be increased in the same way as the price of CNG is rising. We are still accommodating passengers on the basis of the previous fare despite several hikes so far. Even if there is waterlogging, we deliver the passengers on time. We don't even ask for any extra money from the passengers. When you fill 250 rupees of gas, you barely get 100 rupees. If the demand is still not accepted, there will be a fierce agitation. 'If you can't get a rickshaw, you will have to walk 10 km' Arnav, a student, said that the rickshaw drivers' strike is going to cause a lot of trouble. I am still not getting a rickshaw even though I am getting very late to go to college. If you still don't get an rickshaw, you will have to walk about 10 km to college. One has to use a rickshaw to go to college every day. Since it is cheap to travel by rickshaw, we use it the most. If the strike continues, it will be more difficult. We will have to adjust everything if the fare increases. I live with my family, so I won't have to worry that much. But those who have come here to study and are staying in PG colleges will have to face more problems if the rent increases. 'Trouble getting down in the middle' "We will have more trouble as the rickshaw drivers have gone on strike," said Tofiq, a passenger. Because we use the rickshaw every day to go to work. Since we don't have any other means, we go to work in a rickshaw in the morning and take a rickshaw home at night. As a result, the rickshaw drivers are facing difficulties due to the strike. 'I was on my way to the office, I dropped it off' "We were on our way to the office," said Ejaz, a passenger. However, it has been dropped midway. Now you have to walk 4-5 kilometers. We take a rickshaw every day to go to work. If you don't get an auto for two days, you will have to walk. 'The government should also think about the rickshaw pullers' Passenger Kantibhai said, "We are facing problems but the government should also think about the rickshaw drivers. If the price of CNG has reached Rs 94, then the rickshaw drivers should be given an increase in fares. There is no point in harassing ordinary citizens and then giving them a raise. They are earning their livelihood on the basis of rickshaws. Now I was upset, but the demand of the rickshaw drivers should be accepted. If the income of the person is increasing, then there is no problem if the rent increases. Salary increases, tension increases, other expensive cars are brought in despite having cars. If the rickshaw drivers can barely pay the instalments, they should be given an increase.