Auto Rickshaw Union of West Bengal Extends a Helping Hand: Meals and Support for Rickshaw Pullers on Independence Day

On August 15, during the occasion of Independence Day, the Auto Rickshaw Union of West Bengal provided meals to 300 rickshaw pullers and distributed rations. Since a rickshaw puller traveled from Kolkata to Bihar with a cunning rhinoceros pulling the rickshaw the previous day, due to the dire conditions in Kolkata. This news has gone viral on social media, and upon hearing this, we decided to make a gesture by providing both meals and rations on August 15.

The Union’s General Secretary, Mukhtar Ali, who has been fighting for their rights for almost 24-25 years, will send a memorandum to Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, requesting permanent solutions. These rickshaw pullers have been serving in Kolkata for over a hundred years, so they should receive the same benefits as citizens of West Bengal, including free rations, old age pensions, ration cards, and any other government assistance available in each ward. Also, these migrant laborers should receive migrant laborer allowances, and the Muslim owners of these rickshaws, who are mostly over 60-70 years old, started this business to avoid banking interest but are now facing difficult circumstances. Therefore, the government should find an alternative solution and ensure the well-being of these impoverished individuals. Many people, including members of the Rajya Sabha like Mr. Nadimul Haque, respected councilor Ms. Rehana Khatoon, Mr. Doo Lal Singh, Mr. Tariq Narmal Shah, Parvez Raza, Mohammad Ihteshamul Haq, Mohammad Shahjahan, Soren Singh, Rahmatullah Khan, Mohammad Mahmood, and Kamran Hussain, have expressed their sympathy and willingness to assist in various ways