Furious over tough new hit-and-run laws, truck, taxi, and bus operators across India have launched a nationwide Truck Drivers Strike. The All India Motor Transport Congress, representing these drivers, slams the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s 7 lakh penalty and 10-year jail term as excessively harsh and prone to abuse. They fear it could trigger unwarranted harassment.
The Truck Drivers Strike, expected to last three days, has already crippled Mumbai’s transport sector with over 70% of trucks, tempos, and containers staying off the roads. This is likely to disrupt fuel distribution and soon lead to shortages of fruits and vegetables in the city.
Previously, causing death by negligence attracted a maximum sentence of 2 years under Section 304A of the IPC. However, truck owners argue that larger vehicles often get unfairly blamed in accidents, regardless of who’s actually at fault.
