Generally, protests by truck and bus drivers have been against RTO’s stringent rules or if there is sudden hike in taxes or sometimes if there is a rise in fuel prices. However, the nationwide protests which commenced from Monday are triggered by the Central government’s new law on hit-and-run cases.
This law is one of the laws which were passed in the absence of many Opposition members after they were mass expelled. As per the earlier law, if the driver was found guilty then he would face punishment of imprisonment of up to two years – ofcourse, only if it was not a case of intentional homicide. The previous punishment was according to the British-era Indian Penal Code, which was recently replaced by Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita.
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Now, as per the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, a trucker or driver involved in hit-and-run cases can face upto 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 7 lakh. This is the change in the law that has met with strong criticism from the truckers. According to the heavy vehicle drivers, the new changes in the law are completely ‘anti-driver’, as paying such a high amount is not at all possible for a person in their profession and imprisonment of 10 years is basically ending their entire life. The immediate ripple effect of this strike was seen on the petrol stations in the cities where long queues were seen as people are insecure about fuel shortage due to the protest. The effects are evident in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. Many petrol stations even had to put up boards stating that they are out of fuel. The Union Home Secretary has called an urgent meeting with the representatives of the truck owners’ unions so that the situation does not go out of hand.
The new law will come into effect from April. Now, what is a hit-and-run case? If a person flees the scene after a hit-and-run accident then he will face the repercussions mentioned above. As per drivers, even if a two-wheeler rider hits a heavy vehicle due to his own fault, then the crowd gathers at the accident scene and attacks the truck driver without any second thoughts. This could sometimes lead to the death of the drivers and hence, the driver either abandons his vehicle and flees or surrenders himself at a nearby police station. However, the new law directly imposes stricter penalties for drivers which has caught the truck owners in a pickle. The government has cited a rise in hit-and-run cases in the country, which lead to 50,000 deaths a year on an average.
Although the government’s reasons are justifiable, whenever a new law is introduced, the authorities must study the potential consequences in advance. Democratically, a bill’s draft demands a discussion in both the Houses of Parliament before passing it as a law. However, the government is passing laws as per its own will on the power of majority in the Parliament. Members of the Opposition are expected to be part of these discussions, however, the Centre through mass expulsion has already eliminated most of its hurdles. After only ruling party’s members were left in the House, including the Speaker, the Union Home Minister replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code with the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita. There was neither any discussion nor anyone’s views on the matter as the majority of the Opposition was already expelled.
Interestingly, the ruling party’s leaders have alleged that the truckers’ protest has been provoked by the Opposition. Similar allegations were levied during the historic protests of farmers at Delhi against the now-repealed Farm Bills. However, the farmers had kept aside even the Opposition leaders during their protests, which seems to be similar in the ongoing protests by the truckers. Many truck owners’ associations have claimed that truck drivers are protesting on their own without taking them into confidence. It will soon become clear whether the government listens to the truckers or not. However if the government fails to handle the situation sensibly then it could lead to a serious dilemma. Any law before being implemented must be discussed publicly and opinions of experts should be considered while drafting its Bill.
There is no meaning in conducting blind experiments just to erase the remnants of the past. It could be understandable to replace the British-era names of roads, historical sites and buildings, but when it comes to changing the law, its potential consequences must be discussed from all angles.
