MUMBAI: The Bike Taxi Association (BTA), Maharashtra, has emphasised the importance of establishing facts and individual accountability in incidents involving people associated with the gig economy, cautioning against generalising individual actions or alleged associations to the entire bike taxi sector.
Commenting on the recent incident involving actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai and reports concerning an individual allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), BTA Maharashtra said that each incident must be assessed on its own facts and circumstances, with due regard to the evidence and the nature of the individual’s engagement with bike taxi services.
“Passenger safety is paramount, and any individual found responsible for wrongdoing must face appropriate action under the law. At the same time, it is important that accountability is established based on facts and that the actions or alleged associations of an individual are not attributed to an entire sector,” *said Mr. Amit Gawde, Maharashtra Spokesperson and President, BTA.*
Referring to the Tiger Shroff incident, Gawde noted that the individual involved was registered as a gig worker across multiple ride-hailing and e-commerce platforms and was not exclusively engaged as a bike taxi rider. He emphasised that such distinctions are important in understanding the circumstances of an incident and determining individual responsibility.
On the reports concerning the individual allegedly linked to JeM, the association stressed the importance of establishing whether the individual was actively engaged in bike taxi operations at the time in question, rather than drawing conclusions based solely on an alleged association or past registration.
“Thousands of riders across Maharashtra, including students and part-time workers, depend on bike taxis for their daily livelihoods. These are individuals who provide an essential mobility service and support their families through their work. While safety and security concerns must always be taken seriously, it is equally important to distinguish individual conduct from the larger community of riders who earn their livelihoods lawfully,” Gawde said.
BTA Maharashtra reiterated its commitment to supporting passenger safety, responsible operations and the welfare of bike taxi riders. The association maintained that a fair, evidence-based assessment of each incident is essential to ensure accountability without unfairly casting aspersions on an entire sector or the livelihoods it supports.
