Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has written a formal letter to Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik, urging immediate attention to the growing livelihood crisis faced by thousands of local auto-rickshaw drivers across the state due to the operations of app-based aggregators like Rapido, Ola, and Uber. He asserted that displacing traditional auto drivers from their primary source of income is entirely unjustified.
Allegations of Financial Ties with Ministers
In his communication, Raut alleged that certain state ministers share direct financial and commercial ties with Rapido. He claimed that the company has heavily sponsored high-profile local celebrations including Dahi Handi, Ganeshotsav, and various cultural events organized by ministers, pumping in crores of rupees. Furthermore, he alleged that financial contributions were also extended to certain ministers for election purposes, leading to a situation where ordinary auto drivers are being sacrificed to clear political favors.
Reference to Deputy Chief Minister and Meeting Request
Highlighting the background of the state's leadership, Raut pointed out that the current deputy chief minister originally started out as an auto driver himself. Given this personal connection to the grassroots profession, he argued that ignoring the plight of the state's rickshaw pullers is unacceptable. To address these pressing concerns, Raut requested a suitable time and venue for a meeting with a delegation from the Rickshaw Driver Action Committee.
Past Interventions on the Cooperative Sector
Raut has frequently raised policy concerns through letters, including a recent instance where he targeted the central government over alleged injustices toward Maharashtra's cooperative sector. On August 20, he wrote to Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, expressing strong apprehensions regarding the passage of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the inauguration of the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation office in Mumbai.
Copies Sent to Key Leaders
Copies of that previous correspondence were also forwarded to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and National Cooperative Committee President Sharad Pawar. Raut had detailed multiple objections to recent ministry decisions impacting urban cooperative banking assets. He emphasized that he intentionally drafted that letter in Marathi so that the general public could clearly understand how the urban cooperative banking framework of Maharashtra was allegedly being subjected to systemic injustice and asset seizure without member consent.
