Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has come out in support of cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh who are allegedly being asked to leave Hyderabad by cab drivers of Telangana and demanded that the Telangana government address the issue with a humanitarian approach.
Stating that unity is the only way for the development of both the Telugu states, Pawan Kalyan said that asking cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh to leave Hyderabad is not justified.
The actor-politician urged cab drivers from Telangana to be sympathetic towards their fellow cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh as their displacement would deprive 2,000 families of their livelihood.
Pawan Kalyan extended his support to the cabbies from Andhra Pradesh when some of them met him here and brought their problems to his notice.
The Jana Sena Party leader said the government of Telangana should respond positively to address their problems.
The Deputy Chief Minister said everyone should have the feeling that both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are one.
"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," he said.
He urged the cab drivers of Telangana to respond positively and cooperate with their brothers from Andhra Pradesh.
The cab drivers, who called on Pawan Kalyan at Jana Sena office, told him 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.
Pawan Kalyan told them that work on Andhra Pradesh's capital will start soon. "Activities will start again here and suitable opportunities will be created. There is no reason to stop Andhra Pradesh cabs from staying in Hyderabad after the expiry of the common capital. The issue is linked to the livelihood of 2,000 families," he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said they would take the initiative to see that the Telangana government solve the problem with a humanitarian approach. The cab drivers there should also respond appropriately to fellow drivers from Andhra Pradesh. There is a need for the two Telugu states to have mutual cooperation, he said.
A group of cab drivers from Andhra Pradesh working in Hyderabad had last month 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.
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.