ASSAM: Ola-Uber Drivers Begin Strike in Guwahati Over CM’s “Unfamiliar” Remark

Guwahati: The Ola-Uber driver community in Guwahati has gone on strike today, after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s Independence Day remark calling them “unfamiliar” triggered outrage.

The Assam State Driver Union said the comment was deeply insulting to lakhs of hardworking drivers and their families. “Such words on the sacred occasion of Independence Day are hurtful and disrespectful,” the union said in a statement.

As part of the protest, cab drivers across the city are refusing service and carrying posters that read: “I am not unknown – I am a son of Assam” and “Assam Government must protect the dignity of cab drivers.”

The union accused the state government of siding with wealthy aggregator companies while ignoring the exploitation of drivers. They also raised questions about alleged illegal operators receiving permits without proper verification. “Your remarks create suspicion that officials in your government are involved in granting permissions without proof,” the union said, demanding an inquiry.

Rejecting what it described as “cheap politics,” the union pledged to continue its fight for dignity and rights. “We will not be silenced. Each one of us is Assamese,” the statement concluded.