Uber’s Taxi Application Rejected by New Delhi After Sexual Assault Claims
Uber’s Taxi Application Rejected by New Delhi After Sexual Assault Claims
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Members of All India Mahila Congress, women's wing of Congress party, shout slogans and carry placards during a protest against the alleged rape of a female Uber passenger, in New Delhi on Dec. 8, 2014Anindito Mukherjee—Reuters
Uber’s application to operate in New Delhi has been rejected in the wake of alleged sexual assaults committed by drivers working via the ride-sharing app, according to reports.
Letters sent to the company by state authorities detail how Uber failed to comply with the Home Ministry-imposed ban in the wake of the alleged rape of 27-year-old woman by one of its drivers in December last year, the Wall Street Journal reports. The driver denies the charge and his trial is ongoing.
But authorities have now sprung into action after a 21-year-old woman accused another Uber driver of sexual assault over the weekend.
Similar applications from two more app-based cab aggregators, OLA cabs and Taxi4Sure, were also rejected by local authorities.
Uber Delhi’s general manager Gagan Bhatia said in statement Wednesday that that the rejection of the company’s license was “unfortunate,” indicating that the company would apply again once federal guidelines were in place for registration.
“We welcome the opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue with the Delhi government to seek necessary permissions,” Bhatia said, according to the WSJ.
French Taxi drivers burn tires as they protest in the southern city of Marseille on June 25, 2015 as they demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce opposition from traditional cabs. Anne-Christine Poujoulat—AFP/Getty ImagesPolice officers in riot gear attempt to flip a car back onto it's wheels at Porte Maillot on June 25, 2015 in Paris. Protesters blocked roads to airports and train stations, overturning cars and setting tires on fire.Guillaume de Senneville—Demotix/CorbisHundreds of taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium to protest ride-sharing apps on June 11, 2014 in Berlin.Sean Gallup—Getty ImagesA demonstrator kicks a car, suspected of being a private taxi during a 24 hour taxi strike and protest in Madrid on June 11, 2014. Paul White—APA taxi driver listens to speeches by his colleagues, during an Europe-wide protest of licensed taxi drivers against taxi hailing apps that are feared to flush unregulated private drivers into the market, in front of the Olympic stadium in Berlin on June 11, 2014. Thomas Peter—ReutersTaxi drivers hold a banner during a protest in Barcelona on June 11, 2014. Josep Lago—AFP/Getty ImagesLondon taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London.Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesTaxi drivers park their cars and honk the horn in protest on Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing street traffic to a stop as they demand an end to ride sharing services such as Uber X and Lyft on June 25, 2014, in Washington.PAUL J. RICHARDS—AFP/Getty ImagesAn Italian taxi driver distributes leaflets reading "Don't take an illegal taxi, take a white regular taxi" during a protest on June 11, 2014 in Rome.ANDREAS SOLARO—AFP/Getty ImagesTaxis drivers block a highway outside Paris, near Roissy on June 11, 2014, as they take part in a demonstration to protest the growing number of minicabs, known in France as Voitures de Tourisme avec Chauffeurs (VTC). Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty Images