NEW DELHI: Transport unions hit the streets on Wednesday to protest against the new penal laws on hit-and-run cases passed by the Union government in the winter session of the Parliament. Transporters and drivers from across the country gathered at the Jantar Mantar and demonstrated against the latest laws stipulating a penalty of `10 lakh and imprisonment of 10 years in hit-and-run cases.
“We held a peaceful protest at the Jantar Mantar. These laws can ruin families and are akin to capital punishment. Drivers don’t hit and run deliberately,” said All Dilli Auto-Taxi Transport Congress Union president Kisan Verma.
“Sometimes they flee the spot due to fear of getting attacked by people. Transport unions from across the country joined our protest,” he added. Verma further said that the government should have consulted the stakeholders before finalising these laws.
A member of UP Transport Association said, “There are stringent provisions under the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which imposes a punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh in hit-and-run cases. A driver hardly gets a salary of Rs 7,000-10,000 a month, how would he pay?” Truck drivers had staged protests against the new laws but ended their strike on Tuesday.