Mangaluru : The Federation of Karnataka Auto rickshaw Drivers Union staged a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Tuesday to oppose the recent amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act.

The union affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions said that the Act was anti-people.

Addressing a gathering, Sunil Kumar Bajal, president of Dakshina Kannada unit of the union, said that the Act has hit hard drivers who were reeling under the hike in oil prices and automobile spares.

It is not right to fix minimum education qualification to get driving licence henceforth, he said.

The Act imposed heavy fine for violating traffic rules and it hiked the premium of automobile insurance, he said.

Mr. Bajal demanded that autorickshaw drivers should get pension, loan facilities and other welfare schemes as they do not enjoy any social security benefits. The government should implement a housing scheme for the drivers, he added.

The union later submitted a memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner.