Just as the dust is beginning to settle over the entire taxi strike ‘drama’ and the complete about turn undertaken by the state government on its stand against the taxi operators, it is increasingly apparent that the entire strike was no more than a ‘tamasha’ or a tantrum to create a scene with no clear objectives.
The fact remains that the way the government handled the entire issue was never about whether they would accede to their demand over speed governors or not. Rather, it must be noted that at the beginning of the strike, the demands of the taxi operators were vague and unclear. It was only later that the demand crystallized to be one centred around the speed governors.
More than anything, this taxi strike was an attempt by the taxi lobby, referred to as mafia by some, to show its strength and ability to cause governments to bend over backwards to accommodate them. The fact that initially, the yellow and black taxi cabs refused to join the strike but later relented is a testament to the fact that the unions were initially unsure and possibly divided. It was never about the speed governors.
But the presence of ministers and MLAs among the crowd, who incidentally, were at the receiving end of some boisterous abuse, only served to fan the flames of the taxi operators passion.
In their minds, they had scored a perfect strike. They had the ministers and MLAs quite literally at their feet and the government not in a position to back down despite the verbal bravado expressed by Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
It was important then, that the government in its handling of the issue, send out a message that it is not being held hostage to the taxi lobbies. Just as a firm parent would resist tantrums from kids if only to show who’s boss while secretly not being against giving the kid what he wants.
Instead, the presence of ruling party MLAs and ministers at the taxi operators protest on the first day itself without waiting for the striking union’s patience to run thin scuttled any such initiatives.
The government’s handling of the issue has left the people of Goa feeling let down after initially taking a very public and seemingly firm stand only to later completely relent while trying to justify its decision and calm the baying public that they would develop an app.
The manner in which the entire protest was handled has sent a wrong precedent both to the general public as well as the taxi lobby who now know, that if they throw a loud enough tantrum, they will get what they want.
