The East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association has backed RTI activist Disparsing Rani in his disclosure that local taxis in Shillong are plying without permits and that huge sum has to be paid to the SP office to avail stickers.
The association held a press conference today to object to the police summon seeking proof from the activist before legal action could be taken against him.
Rani had said that Rs 10,000 was charged from local taxis without a permit to obtain a sticker. The Office of the East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police yesterday summoned Rani and gave him time till September 19 to support his claim with proof before legal action could be initiated against him.
General Secretary of the taxi association, Wandonbok Jyrwa said that there is nothing to hide or deny the allegations because these allegations have come from many quarters that sticker were bought from the SP office.
He also expressed shock that an unregistered taxi association was part of the summon, when it is supposed to be dealt with by two parties.
On Friday when Rani went to the SP’s office members of the Synjuk Ki Nongniah Taxi Sor Bad Khap Sor too were present to seek answers on the allegations.
Jyrwa said that even the Synjuk admitted that the stickers are being bought from the SP office not only at Rs 10,000 but it ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. “Why have the police not interrogated or arrested the members of the synjuk instead who have admitted to this? Why are they serving Rani a deadline to support his claims with proof when the synjuk admitted that the stickers are being bought at such prices?” he questioned.
“If a registered taxi association like ours has no knowledge when Rani was summoned then how come an unregistered association was part of the process,” he said, adding that they will not allow Rani, who is also their adviser to go the SP office.
Meanwhile Jyrwa also alleged that the police department does not issue the receipt for the stickers bought by the local taxis. “We want to confess today that the police do not issue receipts for the stickers. We buy them at Rs 150 and if we buy them late we are imposed a fine of Rs 500. The question is where is all the money going if there are no receipts?” he said.
He urged the SP to enquire about the matter and demanded that the government should do away with the sticker rule.
