Ola has slammed the VHP worker, who recently announced on Twitter how he had cancelled his ride with the online taxi-aggregator company after learning that his driver was a Muslim.
The VHP worker, who’s followed by at least half a dozen of ministers in Narendra Modi’s cabinet, wrote, “Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don’t want to give my money to Jihadi People.”
Ola was quick to respond to the Hindutva man by reminding him the age-old values of India. Its tweet said, “Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we don’t discriminate our driver partners or customers basis their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times.”
Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I don't want to give my money to Jihadi People. pic.twitter.com/1IIf4LlTZL
— Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) April 20, 2018
Among those following the Hindutva man on Twitter are Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of culture Mahesh Sharma. His Facebook page describes him the founder of VHP IT cell. The bigoted Hindutva man even has a photo with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Hindutva man proudly flaunting his act of bigotry in a secular country triggered huge outcry.
Dear @TwitterIndia, have reported this account for spreading hate against a particular community, with no provocation whatsoever, please intiate action asap, moreover the blue tick is being used as a badge of honour for spewing hate, awaiting prompt action https://t.co/aYHgVfKUaN
— Ruben Mascarenhas (@rubenmasc) April 22, 2018
@Olacabs requesting Ola to ban this guy immediately from ur passenger list and black list him ?or Ola should tell us they encourage this behaviour o discrimination towards their drivers. https://t.co/HyiDSQyI64
— Midhat Kamil Kidwai (@midhatkidwai) April 22, 2018
Many users talked about his alleged link with the Uttar Pradesh government and asked UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take action against him.
So this bigot who cancelled Ola ride coz driver was a Muslim, is a SM consultant at Ministry of Transport, @UPGovt ! And previously was with Ministry of Commerce, GOI ! Do we expect any action by @myogiadityanath ? pic.twitter.com/v38MeCddRd
— कोमल 🙂 ?? (@Komal_Indian) April 22, 2018
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also criticized Mishra. He tweeted, “I remember an India where people who thought this way would have been ostracized rather than admired &”followed”. We need to #BringIndiannessBack.”
I remember an India where people who thought this way would have been ostracized rather than admired &"followed". We need to #BringIndiannessBack. https://t.co/410oU4JVuR
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 22, 2018