Delhi ban: Uber won't give in without a fight, mulls legal routes to challenge govt

Hit by severe criticism and a ban after one its drivers raped a 27-year-old girl in a cab, Uber is bracing for a long battle ahead to stay in business in India, especially in Delhi. According to a report on The Economic Times, the company has now pledged to compensate the victim and consider legal routes to counter the government’s ban. It is important to point out here that in the wake of the Uber incident, three other similar services have been banned. Ola Cabs, Taxi for Sure and TaxiPixi have also been banned in Delhi, reported The Indian Express.  The report quotes Eric Alexander, President of Business for Uber in Asia as saying, “We would be happy to assist in her recovery. Financially. If there are things that we can do to help her, we will do. And I think that is the right thing.” [caption id=“attachment_1840795” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The Uber app. AFP.[/caption] He added that the company has no wish to leave India or even Delhi and would be considering legal ways to challenge the government’s ban on them in the city. Alexander, in the first exclusive interview to ET after the unfortunate incident, also said that Uber’s market in India is the second largest after US, at par with China. One of the biggest problems faced by people with Uber as a service provider has been their arrogance. Even in the US, where Uber has been doing roaring business, there have been relentless reports of misbehavior by drivers and the company’s unwillingness to address these issues. Like we pointed out in an article on Firstpost on 8 December, Uber has been at best dismissive in their response to the Delhi rape. In fact, a statement by its CEO is buried in one corner of just the Delhi page of their website. Pulasta Dhar wrote : “Uber’s statement is buried in their website in a little corner which takes a lot of digging to reach. An incident of this magnitude has been reported by top publications and news channels/websites in India and the West — but the statement from Uber is hidden in such a way that it makes you feel sorry (pun intended) for them.” Also, like we pointed out, one would be led to the statement from CEO Travis Kalanick through a link which just says ‘Statement from Uber CEO Travis Kalanick’. It could be a statement on anything and there is a clear attempt from the company to cover up the incident. However, the company has reportedly promised to tone down the arrogance and pledged to provide better services. Kalanick, who is not known to be a sympathetic businessman, seems to have been reflecting on the company’s mercurial growth and the responsibilities that come with. An article on The Times of India quotes Kalanick from a very recent blog as saying, “Acknowledging mistakes and learning from them are the first steps. We are collaborating across the company and seeking counsel from those who have gone through similar challenges to allow us to refine and change where needed. Done right, it will lead to a smarter and more humble company that sets new standards in data privacy, gives back more to the cities we serve and defines and refines our company culture effectively.” In India, the company spokesperson said that they were willing to collaborate with third party agencies to bring in processes of proper background verification of drivers. The Delhi government’s ban on Uber has been widely criticised as a pointless knee-jerk reaction that does nothing to either regulate the cab industry or boost women’s safety. It has been to be seen if Uber manages to ride on the wave and jump back in business.