and relying on or tailing behind one
ruling class party or a section of it
instead of organising the people
into struggles on their basic
problems and relying on the
strength of the people.
The economic and political
policies and the policies of
Hindutva and fascist type of
actions pursued by Narendra Modi
regime in an aggressive manner
in the last four years have
developed discontentment among
the people. BJP has won in
elections in some states. But it
suffered defeats and setbacks too
in some places in an unexpected
manner. BJP and Sangh Parivar
forces have tasted peoples protest
in many areas. The ravings of
some
Hindu
communal
chauvinists are also facing strong
protests from the people. The
workers, peasants, adivasis,
students, youth, Dalits, Women,
employes,
democrats,
intellectuals and artistes, etc have
come out in protests on their
problems. Especially, lakhs of
peasants have come out in a
number of massive protest
actions. The Pro-BJP forces had
en countered powerful united
protests in big cities like Delhi from
the progressive and democratic
students. They faced defeats in
students’ union elections. An urge
is growing strong among the
people in the Country that a strong,
determined and united struggle
must be waged against the rulers
who are selling away the interests
of our Country and people;
destroying the democratic rights,
values and traditions and trying to
divide the Country on the basis of
religion and culture. The workers,
peasants, adivasis, students,
youth, Dalits, women and
minorities must keep themselves
away from the electoral gamble for
power; protect their own rights and
struggles from the conspiracies of
the ruling classes to divide and
divert them and unite and forge
ahead. The anti-imperialist and
democratic consciousness, unity
and struggles that develop in this
course
can,
doubtlessly,
guarantee a good future and real
victories for the masses of
working class and oppressed
people in India
Strik
e of Uber and Ola Dri
v er
s in Mumbai
Strike
Driv
ers
Ola and Uber- the foreign on-
line taxi companies entered India
with their app technology and
pricing attracting customers and
the same time the taxi market in
India. It is the same story in
whichever country they entered.
Very often the drivers of these
companies have been protesting
and agitating against their
exploitation in the countries where
their operations are conducted.
Now it is the turn of Uber and
Ola drivers in Mumbai to go into
strike in protest against their
exploitation in various forms. Most
of these drivers are called to be
driver-partners who are being
exploited by the companies.
While the two companies with the
use technology are making profits
by collecting 20 to 25 per cent
service fee on the fares collected,
the income of the driver-partners
is decreasing day by day making
them unable to sustain. While the
companies have been lowering
the fares to customers and
Mar - Apr - 2018
expanding the business, the
driver-partners are geeing lesser
income and they are facing the
brunt of ever escalating fuel prices
and maintenance charges of the
vehicles.
While the Uber is present in
31 cities in India, Ola operates
with 9000,000 vehicles and a
million driver partners. These
drivers are car owners who
leased out their cars to the
company and work as drivers with
the hope of getting more business.
They have purchased the cars
through bank finance and have to
repay through EMIs.
The two companies initially, to
attract more drivers into their net,
promised them an earning of Rs.
50 to 90 thousands a month. But
subsequently the promised
incomes of drivers have been
dwindling, unable them to sustain
as owner-drivers, where as the
companies
have
been
consistently deducting their 20 to
25 per cent as service fee and
thriving on the increasing number
of customers and business.
Moreover the companies have
been diverting their business or
customers in favour of company
owned cabs instead of those
owned by drivers. These drivers
are forced to accept underserved
areas.
Thus the companies are using
thee-commerce platform to their
benefit at the cost of owner-
drivers.
Such an unequal method of
business triggered the just anger
of the Uber and Ola drivers of
Mumbai leading to a strike from
18-3-2018 calling the companies
as “Ola and Uber chor hai”, under
the leadership of Maharashtra Nav
Nirman samiti of Raj Thackeray.
Initially the companies tried to
blame the strike as politically
motivated and only involving the
participation of black-listed drivers.
But later the companies negotiated
contd on page 19
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