Truck Drivers Call Off Protests After Assurance From Centre On Hit-And-Run Law

The government assured the members of the transport body that the new laws have not been implemented yet and will only be implemented after consultation with AIMTC.

NEW DELHI: In a significant development, hundreds of transporters and autorickshaw drivers, who were protesting against the recently enacted law on hit-and-run incidents, called off their ongoing nationwide protest, following assurances from the Centre on the controversial law. The protest was called off after the government reached out to the agitating transporters in a late evening meeting between Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) representatives. Announcing that the strike is being called off, the agitating transporters said, ''All issues were resolved.''

The President of the All India Motor Transport Congress, Amrit Lal Madan, addressed the protesting truck drivers, stating, "You are not just our drivers; you are our soldiers. We do not want you to face any inconvenience." The union leader revealed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has temporarily suspended the ten years of punishment and fine that were initially imposed.  Importantly, no new laws will be enforced until the next meeting of the All India Motor Transport Congress, he added.

Govt Puts Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 106/2 On Hold

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla emphasized the government's commitment to dialogue by confirming, "We discussed with All India Motor Transport Congress representatives." He clarified that the new rule, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 106/2, has not been implemented yet. Bhalla highlighted the government's stance, stating, "Before implementing the rule, we will engage in discussions with All India Motor Transport Congress representatives, and only then will a decision be taken."

#WATCH | Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla says, " 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… pic.twitter.com/14QXaVUg7t — ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024

Bhalla further informed that the Government and the transporters have agreed that transport workers will resume their work immediately and they have been requested to resume work.

The New Hit-And-Run Law: Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)

Under the recently introduced Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), replacing the Indian Penal Code, drivers responsible for a serious road accident through negligent driving, who then flee without reporting to the authorities, could face punishments of up to 10 years in prison or a fine of Rs 7 lakh. This marks a substantial increase from the previous two-year punishment under the IPC.

New Law Triggers Protests Across States

Transport operators argued that the law discourages drivers and may result in unjust punishments. They expressed concerns about potential mob violence when attempting to transport the injured to hospitals and demanded the repeal of the law. 

All India Motor & Goods Transport Association President, Rajendra Kapoor, stated, "Our only demand from the government is that decisions should be made after consultations with stakeholders. There were no discussions, no consultations."

Protests Across The Country

Protests erupted across states, with private bus and truck drivers enforcing a 'chakka jam' in Madhya Pradesh and staging demonstrations in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. In Nagpur, long queues at petrol pumps on Tuesday reflected the impact of the ongoing protests.

While addressing the situation, Kapoor asserted, "Protest can never lead to a solution. We have full faith that the government will hold conversations with our members and make necessary amendments based on our recommendations."