Aam Aadmi Party today distributed free ration kits to more than 100 motorcycle, rickshaw and taxi drivers operating in and around the Mapusa area. State Convenor Rahul Mhambre himself led the drive, along with AAP leaders like Manuel Cardoso, Rasesh Bondre, Carol Fernandes, Sunil Signapurkar and others.
Mhambre said that extending the lockdown may be necessary to control covid, but it was equally or more necessary to take simultaneous steps to minimise the effect it has on the common man.
“It takes hardly 15 minutes for CM Pramod Sawant to call a press conference and announce extension of lockdown. But does he not also have the responsibility to understand the effect it has on the lives of our motorcyle pilots, rickshaw-kars and taxi owners who depend on daily earnings? We have appealed so many times for financial relief to affected sections, but Sawant is deaf to the cries of the common man”.
Mhambre slammed the Govt for only making empty announcements, and said that not a single motorcyle, rickshaw or taxi owner has received even a rupee in relief. The motorcycle, rickshaw, and taxi drivers condemned the BJP Govt for ignoring their plight expressed their thanks to AAP for taking a timely step to provide relief during the pandemic.
Mhambre informed that the door-to-door free ration distribution by the party was receiving a tremendous response. Mhambre said that Goans were taking note that AAP is the only party which is on the ground working for people during the pandemic, while BJP, Congress and others were only busy with political calculations and manipulations in the run-up to the 2022 assembly elections.