Bike taxis are back on roads in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Aug 21 (PTI): Bike taxis are back on the roads in Karnataka following the High Court's "balanced and thoughtful observations", said Karnataka Bike Taxi Welfare Association (KBTWA) president Adi Narayan on Thursday.
Uber, Ola and Rapido have brought back the bike taxi feature on their platforms.
According to Narayan, it would benefit over six lakh riders who were without income because of the ban on bike taxis.
State Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy was not immediately available for comments.
Bike taxi operations had been suspended since June 16, following a single judge order prohibiting bike taxi services.
On August 20, the Karnataka High Court came down heavily on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service "thin" and legally untenable.
It also said the state cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy.
Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who headed the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country and have emerged as a lawful and essential mode of urban transport.
He observed that such services are not a luxury but a necessity, especially for affordable and efficient last-mile connectivity.
Rejecting the government's stance that the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits bike taxis, the court said, "A mere lack of regulation cannot be the basis for a blanket ban that deprives thousands of their right to work under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution."
Speaking to PTI, Narayan said following the ban, many riders have been compelled to shift to irregular delivery jobs with lower and inconsistent earnings, creating rising debt and emotional stress.
"We faced severe financial hardship, including difficulties in paying school fees, rent, and vehicle EMIs, because of the ban," he added.
According to him, a delegation of the KBTWA had recently met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the Parliament complex in New Delhi to raise concerns over the suspension of bike taxi services in Karnataka.
He said Gandhi had assured the delegation that he had already spoken to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and had also instructed the Congress leadership in Karnataka to urgently engage with the issue.
"He committed to ensuring that bike taxi riders' livelihoods are protected through a timely and clear policy framework that allows bike taxis to operate seamlessly in the state," Narayan said.
He also said Gandhi spoke to the Karnataka Transport Minister in their presence.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were also present and expressed solidarity with the riders, he added.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
