TV
As the ‘Quit Steering Wheel’ protest by the Odisha Drivers’ Mahasangha entered its fourth day on Friday, crippling transport and fuel supply across Odisha, the agitation has taken a politically tinted turn.
The union’s decision to temporarily relax the protest for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Bhubaneswar has invited sharp criticism and raised more questions than answers.
While the drivers' association maintains that its demands are apolitical and centered on drivers' rights, recent developments suggest otherwise.
Here are 10 key unanswered questions that now hover over the agitation:
What is the real motive behind the protest?
Is this movement truly about drivers’ welfare, or is it being gradually co-opted for political purposes?
Why the soft corner for the Congress?
Despite blocking fuel tankers and buses, the union allowed Congress vehicles to pass freely for Rahul Gandhi’s rally. Why this selective leniency?
Is there a deeper political alignment behind the scenes?
Did the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee’s request influence the union’s strategy? And if so, is neutrality being compromised?
Why is the public being held hostage?
Essential supplies remain disrupted. If the protest can pause for a political event, why can’t it accommodate public welfare?
Are common drivers being misled?
Is the leadership representing genuine grievances or manipulating the movement for hidden agendas?
Is public inconvenience a tactic?
With fuel shortages, school disruptions, and halted public transport, is the hardship of citizens being used as a bargaining chip?
Why the silence of opposition leaders on the common people’s suffering?
If leaders can speak for rallies, why not speak for affected commuters, patients, and daily wage workers?
Who truly benefits from this chaos?
Amid growing public anger, questions loom about who stands to gain politically from prolonged disruption.
Is this still a drivers’ protest, or a political strategy in disguise?
When priorities shift from demands to exceptions, motives become murky.
Will the government and union engage constructively, or will the standoff escalate?
With no resolution in sight, the people of Odisha continue to suffer, awaiting accountability and clarity.
As lakhs reel under the impact of the stir, the drivers’ agitation has become more than a protest. It’s now a political flashpoint—and a test of transparency for both the government and the opposition.
