Flash 'taxi strike' hits Mumbai's commuters

A flash 'taxi strike', called by a handful of miscreants who damaged taxis across Mumbai, added to the Monday blues of the harried commuters in the metropolis.

Nearly 80 taxis were reportedly damaged, allegedly by fellow cab drivers who were protesting against Home Minister R R Patil's 'decision' to increase the fine for not wearing an uniform from Rs 100 to Rs 300. It was later revealed that Patil had not taken any such decision and the protesting men had gone on a destructive spree due to a baseless rumour.

 "So far, no known or unknown organisation has claimed the credit for the flash strike. We have also not been able to point a finger at anybody," said A L Quadros, leader of the Mumbai Taximen's Union.

Quadros, who has been trying to bring the situation back to normal in the metropolis, was unable to explain how the strike was triggered off. "We do not know the objective behind initiating a strike on an unfounded piece of information. This should not have happened," he said.

Quadros added that this was the second time in two months when taxis have been forced off the roads, but the Union was not involved. On June 22, Swabhiman, an organisation run by Congress leader Narayan Rane's son Nitesh Rane, had forced taxis off the roads to demand a fare hike.

But Quadros claimed that Swabhiman was not responsible for Monday's flash strike. According to sources, pamphlets had earlier been distributed in the eastern suburbs of Sion and Chembur, informing taxi drivers about the strike. The pamphlets allegedly mentioned the Republican Party of India, but it is not known which faction of the stratified RPI had called the strike.

"The police did not take a proactive stand in nabbing the culprits as they considered this an internal matter between taxi drivers," lamented Quadros.