Jana Sena chief and  Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan extended his support to cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh, who are working in Hyderabad and deplored Telangana cab drivers allegedly asking them to leave Hyderabad, which he says not justified at all.

He demanded that the Telangana government should address the issue with a humanitarian approach and also advised cab drivers from Telangana to be sympathetic towards their fellow cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh. He deplored that their displacement would deprive over 2,000 families of their livelihood.

When some of such drivers met him at the Jana Sena office, he patiently heard their concerns and extended his sympathies and expressed hope that the Telangana government should respond positively to address their problems.

TThey deplored that a section of cab drivers from Telangana have been urging the Transport Department to stop the “illegal” plying of taxis registered in states other than Telangana. They claimed that these taxis were affecting their business.

 “The unity of the people of both the Telugu states alone take us forward on the path of progress. I repeatedly say that Andhra Pradesh should follow the path of development because if the opportunities here grow, the migration from Andhra to Telangana will stop. As a result, the people of Telangana will get more employment opportunities in various sectors,” Pawan Kalyan said.

The cab drivers, who called on him told that they are being stopped from operating in Hyderabad and because of this they are unable to live there. They told him that officials and cab drivers in Hyderabad were harassing them and asking them to leave Hyderabad on the ground that on June 2 Hyderabad ceased to be the joint capital of the two states.

Deputy chief minister said that there is no reason to stop Andhra Pradesh cabs from staying in Hyderabad after expiry of the common capital. However, he assured that suitable opportunities will soon be created for them in Andhra Pradesh itself, as work on Capital Amaravati will start soon.

Meanwhile, a group of cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh working in Hyderabad had last month also met Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh and complained that they are being asked to pay life tax on their vehicles once again due to the expiry of the term of Hyderabad as the joint capital.The cab drivers said they already paid life tax on their vehicles in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and that imposing the tax again would result in huge financial loss to them.