Truck drivers to go on indefinite strike in Karnataka today

Karnataka Truck drivers will go on an indefinite strike from today against the new hit-and-run law, which imposes a ₹7 lakh penalty, with 10 years in jail.

Truck drivers in Karnataka are all set to go on an indefinite strike from today onwards in protest against the newly introduced law for hit-and-run cases. The Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners’ Association had earlier said all truck drivers across the state have been asked to support the strike and keep their vehicles off the road.

It is not yet clear how much impact this state-wide strike will have. (HT PHOTO)

C Naveen Reddy, president of the association, said the union government came to a “unilateral decision” that was “hasty” and that they did not consult them before arriving at it.

What is this new law for hit-and-run cases?

The new provision under the stringent law imposes a penalty of ₹7 lakh on the accused, with a jail term of 10 years for hit-and-run cases, as opposed to the two years in the previous provision. This comes under the recently passed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

It is not yet clear how much impact this state-wide strike will have. However, logistics and fuel availability will likely be affected.

This comes after the operators of trucks, taxis and buses went on a three-day nation-wide strike in the beginning of the month in protest of the same law. Many urged the central government to withdraw the provision, claiming that it could lead to “undue harassment”.

Local transport unions in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar, private buses, trucks, oil tankers and taxis remained off road during the period. The country saw a partial impact from the strike, with some states reporting a low availability of fuel, as oil tanker drivers also backed the protest.