Goods transportation on Assam Agartala National Highway was affected on Tuesdaaya s the lorry drivers staged a protest at Kumarghat 91 Miles area against provision in the new penal law related to hit-and-run road accident cases. Under the proposed ‘Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita’, which is set to replace the Indian Penal Code, drivers responsible for serious road accidents due to negligent driving and fleeing without informing authorities could face up to 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.
Earlier the Drivers’ association in Tripura also in a press conferenceat Agartala protested the law . The drivers anticipated that they would be easy victims of mob attacks in cas of any unfortunate accident even if they were not t all responsible for the mishap if the law comes into force.
Protesting truck drivers argued that the new law might discourage drivers and expose them to unjust punishments. They demanded the government to withdraw this particular provision. In response to the protest, the local administration and police rushed to the scene, urging the demonstrators to end their protest and clear the highway. The protesters complied and withdrew their blockade, reiterating their call for the government to reconsider the provision.
Contrary to the protest, the Tripura Private Transport Mazdoor Sangh disassociated itself from any bandh (strike) called by the truck drivers, labeling it as ‘misleading.’ The president of Tripura Pradesh Private Transport Mazdoor Sangha, Biplab Das, and the secretary of North Tripura district BMS, Subrata Rudra Pal, clarified in a press conference that the truck drivers had not called for a bandh or threatened to halt transport services from January 3. Instead, they announced that the drivers planned to hold a ‘dharna’ (sit-in) at Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) and in front of the District Magistrate’s office on January 3, with no disruption of transport services.
They informed that there would be extensive discussions on the proposed bill in the parliament from January 4 to January 7. Additionally, the BMS planned to submit a memorandum to the state transport minister on January 9 regarding the proposed bill. District-wise protests against the bill were scheduled for January 10, and a proposal for consideration on the bill would be sent to the Prime Minister on January 11.
