New Delhi: The truck driver association called off the nationwide protests on Tuesday after the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) and the government reached a pivotal agreement regarding the contentious new hit-and-run law.
AIMTC President, Amrit Lal Madan, confirmed that Home Minister Amit Shah has agreed that the new laws will only come into force after consultation with AIMTC.
After the meeting Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said, ” We had a discussion with All India Motor Transport Congress representatives, govt want to say that the new rule has not been implemented yet, we all want to say that before implementing Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 106/2, we will have a discussion with All India Motor Transport Congress representatives and then only we will take a decision”
Earlier today, Protests erupted in several states, including Bihar, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, opposing the hefty penalties for hit-and-run incidents in the upcoming Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which is slated to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code.
According to the new law, hit-and-run cases could lead to a 10-year jail term and a ₹7 lakh fine. Commercial vehicle operators, including truckers and cab drivers, are expressing concerns about how they would afford such substantial fines in case of accidents. Happy Sidhu, president of the All Punjab Truck Operators’ Union, denounces the new law as a “black law” that could devastate truckers in Punjab.