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New law is harsh and one-sided, say drivers
On Tuesday, during the second day of their strike, drivers gathered at Transport Nagar in Sector 4 to protest and express their plight
Thousands of commercial vehicle drivers are on a three-day strike to protest against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the newly-launched Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for hit-and-run cases.
On Tuesday, during the second day of their strike, drivers gathered at Transport Nagar in Sector 4 to protest and express their plight.
Among the protesting drivers representing Janta Taxi Union, 60-year-old Prem Chand was the oldest driver with the union with 40 years of experience.
“I’ve been driving since I was young. A driver like me usually has to skip meals and even depend on the passenger, who might offer us tea during the journey. Sometimes, we don’t have money to get ourselves shaved. In such meagre salaries, we have to lend money from friends or relatives for family occasions,” he said.
“My elder son is married and is also a taxi driver. He has to support his own family. I earn ₹8,000 a month and the government is expecting us to pay ₹7 lakh fine in case of an accident,” he replied when asked about the protest.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which will replace the Indian Penal Code, has a provision that attracts punishment of up to 10 years and a fine of ₹7 lakh for drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration
Vikram, a truck driver, said that he supports his family of four with a monthly salary of ₹10,000.
“We don’t drive to cause accidents or kill people but to earn and run families. In most of the cases of accidents, drivers who stop and try to help the victim are lynched by the locals and they are expecting us to take the injured to a hospital. Why is there no law against those who beat drivers to death in accident cases?” he said.
Another driver said they were also on the front line to supply medicines, oxygen and other essential supplies during the lockdown, but they were not appreciated.
“We are the lifeline of the nation and yet have to face so many traumas on roads daily. Only we are held responsible even if the mistake is of the other driver. The new provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita are a death note for truckers and should be taken back,” said joint secretary of All India Motor Transport Congress Narender Singh Bedi.
