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Truckers threaten to go on strike in new year
The Country’s largest transport body, All India Motor Transport Congress, has deferred its call for an indefinite strike till January 5 alleging that the government is forcing it to call the strike, reports Sumant Banerji.
The Country’s largest transport body, All India Motor Transport Congress, has deferred its call for an indefinite strike till January 5 alleging that the government is forcing it to call the strike.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, AIMTC President Charan Singh Lohara said that while packages are being announced for infrastructure, airlines and oil companies, the trasnporter’s community has been left in the lurch.
A strike at this point of time would push up prices of food stuff and other commodities and impact
inflation just when it is on a downward trajectory.
“We have been protesting against high diesel prices and the Rs 2 cut is nothing compared to the fall in international prices which has gone below $ 35 per barrel,” said Lohara.
Transporters had gone on a two-day strike in July protesting against imposition of service tax besides high oil prices, and Lohara said the promises made by the government at that time have not been kept.
“There are already so many taxes on us. How will we be competitive against railways where there are no such barriers,”he asked.
But transporters have been accused of resisting accountability from various quarters. There are, however, indications of division in the transporting community over the strike with at least 12 state transport authorities reluctant to support it.
