AAP attacks BJP for its ‘doublespeak’

NEW DELHI: Pointing fingers at Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday said that the Centre must take responsibility for the temporary ban imposed on e-rickshaws by the Delhi high court. Gadkari had announced at a rally in the capital last month that the NDA government would regularize e-rickshaws.

"BJP has indulged in doublespeak and did nothing to regularize e-rickshaws. Gadkari must explain what happened to the assurances he gave to e-rickshaw drivers on June 16. He had promised to provide employment to two crore people, but his government, by its negligence and doublespeak, is responsible for rendering at least two lakh poor families jobless at the moment," said AAP.

AAP says that the key issues are registration and licensing. "If e-rickshaws can be regulated then several lakh people will benefit. E-rickshaws are filling in for cheap public transport that the city lacks. If they are illegal, then action should have been taken when they came up, instead of reacting now," said an AAP member.

A party spokesperson said that e-rickshaws are environment-friendly vehicles and are a good way of replacing traditional cycle rickshaw.

Further attacking Gadkari, AAP said that his earlier statement seemed like an attempt to promote the business of his brother-in-law, who is an e-rickshaw manufacturer. Gadkari had denied links with any e-rickshaw manufacturer.