New Delhi: Opposition parties Tuesday alleged that the government was speaking in two voices on banning radio taxis following the rape of a young woman in the capital by a driver linked to international taxi-booking service Uber.
The issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha by Congress deputy leader Anand Sharma who said there was conflict within the government as Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has spoken against the ban.
"Government must clarify... your cabinet colleague has criticised the ban on Uber," Sharma told Home Minister Rajnath Singh who was responding to concern of members over the rape incident.
Rajnath Singh said his ministry has advised the state governments to ensure that the operations of web-based taxi services were stopped and the service providers not licensed by the state governments were prohibited till they get registered.
Sharma posed queries to the government about fixing its own systems. "Someone went to Uber with transport department certificate, and licence, what will they do? What is your mechanism? How are you going to ensure that all radio taxi services, which have thousands of cars, are probed? Create a data bank," Sharma asked.
Janata Dal-United member Pavan K. Varma told IANS that the government did not have a considered policy on the issue and it was speaking in two voices.
"There should be a considered view on an issue which is very serious," he said.
Varma said there was a need to enhance security checks.
"There is a need for strong and considered response to the situation and not an impulsive one," he said.
Congress MP Oscar Fenandes said that if a taxi driver has created a problem, it should not be generalised.
"The need is for action so that such incidents are prevented," he said.
Communist Party of India-Marxist member Tapan Kumar Sen also accused the government of speaking in two voices.
He said several opposition members raised the issue in Rajya Sabha but the government could not come up with satisfactory answer.
Gadkari had told reporters in parliament complex Tuesday that banning services like Uber does not make sense and lacuna should be fixed.
Following the incident of rape Friday night, Delhi government banned "all activities" by Uber company in the national capital.
It also blacklisted the firm from providing transport services in Delhi in future.
The Delhi Police have also filed FIR against Uber.
