The truck drivers’ protest which took the nation by storm has come to an end as the Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and AIMTC engage in crucial discussions on January 2.
The controversial issue at the heart of this protest revolved around the government’s potential implementation of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a new regulation and criminal code which aimed to heighten penalties for hit-and-run cases. The updated provisions now included a 10-year jail time or a fine of ₹7 lakhs if the truck driver left the scene without reporting it to the authorities.
According to the new BNS provision, “Whoever causes the death of any person by rash and negligent driving of vehicle not amounting to culpable homicide, and escapes without reporting it to a police officer or a magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”
However, this triggered a wave of protests and strikes in various states across India, including Maharashtra, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Truck drivers denounced this legal provision as a “kaala kanoon” (black law).
“Ye kanoon abhi tak laagu nahi hai (This law has not been implemented yet) … Ham ye kanoon laagu nahi hone denge (We will not allow these laws to be implemented),” the AIMTC Chairman-organizing committee Bal Mankit Singh said.
As a result of these strikes, approximately 2,000 petrol pumps in western and northern India faced fuel shortages. Families urgently seeking to replenish their fuel led to urgent buying, with visuals showcasing queues of people lining up outside petrol and diesel pumps. Due to this, stations across various states experienced depleted stocks.
However, these strikes did not last very long due to the crucial discussion on Tuesday, January 2nd. This dialogue led to Union Home Secretary Bhalla emphasizing how the government had not yet implemented the new rule and underscoring their commitment to open dialogue before any decisions were made regarding the new criminal code.
Furthermore, Amrit Lal Madan, President of All India Motor Transport Congress, has stated that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has currently kept the ten years of punishment and fine that was imposed, on hold.
Bhalla stated: “We had a discussion with All India Motor Transport Congress representatives, govt want to say that the new rule has not been implemented yet, we all want to say that before implementing Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 106/2, we will have a discussion with All India Motor Transport Congress representatives and then only we will take a decision.”
Truckers were urged to assume work.
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