Riders Stage Hunger Strike Over Ban

By Sulagna Halder

Bengaluru, 30 June 2025:

In protest of the statewide ban on bike taxi operations, about 30 bike taxi riders launched an indefinite hunger strike on Sunday at the Central College campus in Bengaluru, calling on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step in. 

The Bike Taxi Welfare Association reported simultaneous protests in Mysuru, Mandya, Davangere, and Ramanagara. The demonstration comes after the Karnataka High Court ordered on June 16 that bike taxi services be suspended until official state regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act are implemented. Appeals for policy clarity were made after the state government revoked licenses and began a clampdown, removing bikes, despite central government guidelines confirming the legality of bike taxis.

The association called the strike their "last plea for survival" in an open letter addressed to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In their letter, they cautioned that many riders had been forced to borrow or beg due to growing financial difficulties. It claimed that in order to provide for their families, some members had even been compelled to beg on the streets. "We don't want chaos," President Mohammed Salim told the government, describing his phone ringing "250 to 300 times every day" from desperate riders. Instead of a ban, we need regulation. Participants emphasized how the ban disproportionately affected local Kannadigas who depended on bike taxis for last mile income, including students, single mothers, and daily wage workers. Due to the loss of income, one rider mentioned that they were unable to pay their rent or school fees.

The association emphasized the inconsistency of allowing two wheeler delivery services while penalizing passenger rides. There has been no significant government response to date, despite the fact that riders met with Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and his colleague MLA S Muniraju on June 19 and submitted petitions. 

Following previous sit ins near Vidhana Soudha, where they called for legalization rather than enforcement, a number of proponents of bike taxis were still in custody. With more than eight crore bike taxi rides recorded in Karnataka last year, proponents contend that these play crucial roles in urban mobility and employment, especially in light of Bengaluru's persistent transportation issues, as noted by Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad.

The Association is currently awaiting an official response from the state authorities. A crucial test of Karnataka's strategy for regulating its gig economy has been signaled by riders' vow to continue the hunger strike until "clear rules on licensing, insurance, and safety" are provided.