Truck Drivers have decided to strike in protest against new “Hit and Run” Law. Union Government has brought in new Law Bill, Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, to amend Hit and Run laws. According to the amendment, truck drivers will be sent to imprisonment for 10 years and will have pay a fine of upto Rs.7 Lakhs, if found guilty.
The law has two clauses, first one is to the drivers who report the accident to police and surrender. In such cases, they will be sent to imprisonment of 2 years. The second clause is for those who run away from the scene – “Hit and Run”.
This Hit and Run law has been added to IPC 304(a) till now and it has been changed to 104 section and will be seen as a culpable homicide. This means, the driver and other persons involved in fleeing from the situation will be seen as murderers who have committed crime with intention to kill someone. Till date, truck drivers did not have to adhere to such strict laws and hit and run, in case of heavy vehicle drivers used to be seen as a punishable offence with an imprisonment of 2-3 years.
With this amendment and hit and run laws, the drivers are scared that they will lose their employment for 10 years. Also, they are scared to pay the huge fine and being away from their families for such long time. All India Motor Transport Congress has announced that the strike will continue until Government lowers the imprisonment and cash fine. They fear that this law will not let any new drivers to take up the occupation.
Due to the strike, fuel stocks in India have come down drastically. Major number of people have been seen at petrol and diesel bunks in long queues. Maharastra, Madya Pradesh states have seen huge shortage in petrol and diesel stock already. Transport of LPG gas cylinders has also come down drastically over the past two days.
Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi has extended his support to Truck Drivers. He stated that the government is acting to please the emperor (PM Narendra Modi), and framing laws without discussing with the affected is unethical and it is pushing the hard-working class into harsh legal furnace.
He wrote, “The insistence on making laws without discussion with the affected class and without dialogue with the opposition is a continuous attack on the soul of democracy.
While more than 150 MPs were suspended, Shahenshah in Parliament enacted a law against drivers, the backbone of the Indian economy, which could have fatal consequences.
Throwing this hard-working class with limited earnings into the harsh legal furnace can badly affect their lives. And also, misuse of this law can lead to ‘recovery mechanisms’ along with organized corruption.
The government which runs democracy with the whip has forgotten the difference between ’emperor’s orders’ and ‘justice’.
#TruckDriversProtest”
बिना प्रभावित वर्ग से चर्चा और बिना विपक्ष से संवाद के कानून बनाने की ज़िद लोकतंत्र की आत्मा पर निरंतर प्रहार है।
जब 150 से अधिक सांसद निलंबित थे, तब संसद में शहंशाह ने भारतीय अर्थव्यवस्था की रीढ़, ड्राइवर्स के विरुद्ध एक ऐसा कानून बनाया जिसके परिणाम घातक हो सकते हैं।
सीमित…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 2, 2024
Now, Home Secretary AK Bhalla is scheduled to meet All India Motor Transport Congress representative in Delhi at 7:00 PM. All state administrations have been ordering the different departments to optimize the fuel stocks in coming days as truckers protest will lead to huge shortage of petrol and diesel for 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler vehicles.
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