Truck Driver Strike Update: Protests continued on the second day of the truckers’ strike against stricter punishments in the new law on hit-and-run cases. The government initiated talks on Tuesday with the protesting groups to address their concerns. The strike raised concerns about the supply of essential goods and triggered panic buying of fuel in various places.
In Maharashtra’s Nashik district, truck drivers called off their strike in the evening after local authorities assured them they would address their demands. However, Rajasthan experienced violence on Monday night, with a mob burning a police vehicle and pelting stones at security personnel in the Kekri district, resulting in three injuries.
Some truck, bus, and tanker operators initiated a three-day strike in multiple states to protest against what they consider “stringent punishments” under the proposed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, set to replace the Indian Penal Code. According to the new law, drivers causing serious road accidents due to negligent driving and fleeing without informing authorities could face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.
In New Delhi, government sources indicated that Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla would meet with protesting truckers later in the evening in hopes of resolving the issue amicably. It was clarified that the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) had yet to call for a nationwide strike in support of the demand for the withdrawal of the new provisions.
