Protest against proposed law on hit-and-run cases
SHILLONG, Jan 3: All tourist taxis in the state are likely to stay off the roads for 48 hours starting from January 5 to protest against the increase in punishment in hit-and-run cases in the yet-to-be implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The protest is a part of the country-wide opposition by cab owners and drivers.
It was learnt that various taxi and tour associations in Meghalaya received communications from their counterparts in Guwahati which sought their support for the protest.
Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Association general secretary Bhaskar Deb said he received a communication from Greater Guwahati Tourist Taxi Association president Rabin Dutta, who is also the president of the central body of Assam tour operators, that commercial vehicles will be off the roads from 5 am on January 5-6.
Deb said their counterpart asked for support and they obliged.
“The government intends to come up with such a law that no driver will want to drive. Who would want to drive when there is Rs 10 lakh fine and imprisonment?” he asked.
Earlier, the All India Motor Transport Association (AIMTC) decided to end the nationwide truck drivers’ protests against the new hit-and-run law following assurance from the Ministry concerned that the law will only be implemented after due consultation with AIMTC.
Asked about it, Deb said they have seen it on social media but have not received any communication to call off the strike.
The AIMTC had announced a strike against the increase in punishment in BNS. The new provisions prescribe a jail term of up to 10 years or Rs 7 lakh fine if a truck driver flees an accident spot or fails to report the incident to the authorities.
In the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, the punishment for the offence was two-year imprisonment.
After a meeting with Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, the AIMTC decided to end the truck drivers’ protests against the new law.