Truckers’ stir against stricter laws enters day 2, sparks panic buying of fuel
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla meets protesting truckers; sources say issue likely to be resolved amicably
The truckers’ strike against the new law on hit-and-run cases, which prescribes stricter punishments, entered its second day on Tuesday (January 2), with protests being held in many states.
As the stir threatened to impact the supply of essentials and triggered panic buying of fuel, the government started talks with the agitating groups during the day.
Stir called off in Nashik
Towards Tuesday evening, truck drivers in Maharashtra’s Nashik district called off their strike after the local authorities assured them of looking into their demands.
However, violence was reported from Rajasthan on Monday night, as a mob set fire to a police vehicle and pelted stones at security personnel, leaving three injured in Kekri district.
A notice board at a petrol pump in Nagpur reads ‘No Stock’ on Jan 2 | PTI
Why are truckers protesting?
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which is set to replace the Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause serious road accidents due to negligent driving and run away without informing authorities can face up to 10 years in prison or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.
Some truck, bus, and tanker operators began a three-day strike on Monday in several states to protest against these stricter punishments.
The Congress came out in support of the truckers, saying the misuse of legislation can lead to an “extortionist network” and “organised corruption”. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of “penalising the poor” while stalling investment in the infrastructure sector.
Heavy rush at a petrol pump in Prayagraj on Jan 2 | PTI
Resolution soon?
In Delhi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla met the protesting truckers on Tuesday evening, and sources said the issue was likely to be resolved amicably. They added that the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) has so far not given any nationwide strike call in support of the demand for the withdrawal of new stringent provisions.
To quell the apprehensions, a senior government functionary said a driver who accidentally hits a person and subsequently informs the police or takes the victim to the nearest hospital will not be prosecuted under the stringent provision of the BNS.
Chaos in Himachal
In Himachal Pradesh, several fuel pumps turned away motorists, saying they had run out of stock, as petrol and diesel were not being transported. Massive queues were seen outside the petrol pumps still in operation in Dharamshala, Kullu-Manali, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Chamba, Una, and Shimla.
District authorities of Hamirpur, Una, and Bilaspur have issued directions for rationing of fuel, and the Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC) has started rationalising routes. It has stopped the plying of buses on 138 routes with low occupancy.
Responding to questions over the protest, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said the situation was under control but it could worsen if the strike continued. The Centre needed to understand the demands of the truck drivers, he added.
Heavy rush at a petrol pump in Shimla on Jan 2 | PTI
Long queues in Punjab, J-K
Massive queues were also seen at fuel stations across Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir as the strike hit supplies and people went on a panic-buying spree. While the Chandigarh administration ordered rationing of fuel to two- and four-wheelers, people rushed to petrol pumps in large numbers in some parts of Haryana, as private bus operators and some auto-rickshaw unions also joined the protest.
The J-K fuel station owners’ association said 90 per cent of petrol pumps had gone dry in Jammu and, in the next few hours, all stocks will run out as 1,500 tankers carrying fuel to the Union territory and Ladakh were on strike. The long queues led to traffic snarls in some parts of Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley.
Oil tankers parked at a ground during the protest by All Jammu and Kashmir Oil Tankers Association in Jammu | PTI
Petrol pumps go dry
In Maharashtra, truck drivers have been staging protests at various places, including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Solapur, Dharashiv, Palghar, Nagpur, Beed, Hingoli, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Gadchiroli, and Wardha.
The movement of nearly five lakh vehicles in Madhya Pradesh was affected and many passengers were stranded as drivers did not operate the inter-city buses due to the strike.
Industry officials said around 2,000 petrol pumps, mostly in western and northern India, have run out of fuel stocks, as people resorted to panic buying over fears of stock shortage. While state-owned oil firms had topped up tanks at most petrol pumps across the country in anticipation of the truckers’ strike, some pumps in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab ran out of stock due to heavy rush.
Members of various truck operators unions participate in a protest rally in Patiala on Jan 2 | PTI
South better
The situation in southern India is better, however, with no major supply disruption barring a few pumps in Hyderabad, the industry officials said.
Essential supplies of vegetables, fruits, and milk, too, may be affected if the three-day strike is extended or a pan-India movement is launched.
(With agency inputs)
