New Delhi, Apr 22: M M Joshi, the Union human resources development minister, has taken note of the demands of the striking transporters and has promised them that he would get back to them after talking with the concerned ministers, according to All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC). AIMTC, the apex body of transporters that called the strike, also said yesterday in a statement here that the country-wide strike was very much continuing in West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, contrary to what some media reports have said. Last evening, an AIMTC delegation consisting of president B S Dhumal, secretary-general J M Saksena and others met Joshi who gave them a patient hearing and discussed in detail every point in the AIMTC's charter of demands, it said.

"Shri Joshi assured that he shall talk to the finance minister, petroleum minister and transport minister and then revert to AIMTC."

Earlier yesterday, it said, the AIMTC delegation met BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan who "regrettably did not appreciate the problems faced by the transporters in the right spirit" and the talks resulted in failure.

Regarding the strike in West Bengal, the statement said "only a small association run by the expelled members of AIMTC has called off the strike; 99.5 percent of truck owners and transporters are continuing the strike".

"The strike, which entered the 9th day today, is also continuing in all parts of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh," it said.

Bureau Report