Separate delegations of BJP and Congress today met Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and discussed the dispute over operation of e-rickshaws in the national capital.
The meetings come after the Delhi High Court order yesterday directing the city government to stop e-rickshaws from plying "as of now".
Under the leadership of Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay, BJP submitted a memorandum to the LG, stating that e-rickshaws and fancy pedicabs are operating worldwide in Asia, Europe and America as feeder to the urban public transport system.
"Although the operation of e-rickshaws has not been regulated in Delhi yet, they are working as cheap feeder system to the trunk public transport facility. It has also helped the poor people of the city in getting self employment on a large scale," BJP said in its memorandum.
"In the context of dispute in the high court, the delegation has requested that the Delhi government should be given three months time to put necessary legal framework to regulate e-rickshaws and pending the same, e-rickshaws operations in Delhi may be allowed," a statement by BJP said.
Jung assured the delegation that operation of e-rickshaws will not be stopped and the stand of the Delhi government will be presented through senior advocates in the high court, and if needed the government will move the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, a Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) delegation under the leadership of its president Arvinder Singh also submitted a memorandum to the Lt Governor demanding that an ordinance be promulgated to ensure that over two lakh e-rickshaw drivers are not rendered jobless.
Holding the BJP responsible for the current scenario, Congress leaders pointed that the statement of the BJP MPs in the Rajya Sabha had clearly proved that the BJP wanted to drive out people from Poorvanchal by making them jobless.
"BJP was the enemy of the poor, the middle class and the Poorvanchalis," Congress said. It claimed that after Union minister Nitin Gadkari's announcement that e-rickshaws would not be banned, over 42,000 e-rickshaws were sold in Delhi.
"BJP was directly responsible for the present situation, and Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal was also responsible for putting hurdles on e-rickshaw drivers," Congress said.
