A Supreme Court advocate has written to ride-hailing platform Ola, raising concerns over an alleged incident of communal intimidation during a cab ride in the national capital. In a letter dated March 16 addressed to the company and its CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, advocate Dr Saif Mahmood described his experience during a ride on March 15 as “deeply disturbing,” alleging that the driver made repeated statements glorifying violence against Muslim passengers, the Siasat.com reported.
According to the complaint, the driver identified on the app as Shri Ram recounted multiple instances in which he claimed to have assaulted passengers. In one account, he allegedly said he attacked a Muslim man for consuming non-vegetarian food inside the vehicle, adding that the assault escalated at a roadside eatery where others joined in. The driver, Mahmood said, narrated the episode with “visible pride.”
The advocate further alleged that the driver described another similar incident in Noida, again suggesting the victim was Muslim. Throughout the ride, Mahmood said, the driver repeatedly stressed the religious identity of those he claimed to have targeted and made remarks that appeared to endorse such actions.
Mahmood said the statements were not casual or offhand but conveyed in a manner he perceived as intended to intimidate him. He termed the conduct an instance of “open Islamophobia” within a private, enclosed space, raising concerns about passenger safety.
“At multiple points, the driver made remarks that revealed this was a deliberate, targeted display of Islamophobia. He repeatedly emphasised the Muslim identity of those he claimed to have assaulted and even stated that the Uttar Pradesh Government was ‘doing well to teach such people a lesson,’” Mahmood said.
In his letter, the advocate has sought clarity from Ola on its policies regarding non-discrimination and passenger protection, and asked what measures are in place to prevent such conduct by drivers. He has also called for immediate action against the individual concerned.
“The issues raised go beyond my personal experience and touch upon the safety of passengers at large,” the letter states, warning that the matter could be escalated further if no response is received.
“The issues raised here concern not only my personal safety but also the safety of the public at large and the unchecked propagation of communal violence by individuals operating under your platform,” the advocate said.
Mahmood said he has already brought the issue to the notice of the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
