The Greater City Auto Owners’ Welfare Association has demanded that the City Police Commissioner enforce provisions of Anti-Gooda Act against the Auto financiers, who were harassing the poor auto drivers by collecting exorbitant interest rates on loans taken by them. It also appealed to the city police chief to extern the greedy auto financiers from the City.
Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, association president Mirza Rafatullah Baig alleged that auto drivers were resorting to suicides because of torture by the auto financiers. He has appealed to the State government to provide financial assistance to the auto drivers, who were suffering from financial problems. He urged the police commissioner to cause an inquiry on the nefarious activities of auto financiers in the city.
Telangana Auto Drivers Association JAC Chairman Mohammed Amanullah Khan said that an auto driver Yesudanam of Rahmat Nagar had taken a loan of Rs 80,000 from the Varun Finance in 2005. Though Yesudanam repaid Rs 1.70 lakhs to Varun Finance so far, the Finance company recovered the auto from him and given to another person on pretext of non-repayment of loan.
He said that Yesudanam had approached City Police Chief A.K. Khan for help. Responding to the petition, the Police Commissioner directed ACPolice of Saifabad Harshavardhan to conduct an inquiry.
Amanullah Khan urged the State government to prepare guidelines to curb harassment of innocent auto drivers by the financers. He also demanded that the State government promulgate an ordinance to punish the erring financiers, who were harassing the auto drivers.
Association general secretary, Venkatesh and vice-president Shoukat Baig were also present. (NSS)