PONDA: Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Goa State Committee, will participate in the nationwide token strike called by various trade unions besides transport federations on 16 Feb, who are against provision of Bhartiya Nyay Sahinta (BNS 2023). The protest is also against growing inflation and government policies harmful to interest of workers. The demand is to immediately withdraw the draconian provisions of BNS.
Nilkant Fadte, General Secretary of (CITU) Goa State Committee said, “We will stage protest dharnas against various provisions of the law and harmful policies.” He said during the last parliamentary session on January 2, the Central Government had assured to withdraw the clauses 106(1) and (2) of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, which had created panic and unrest among drivers and transport associations against the hefty punishment. He said Government had replaced the Indian Penal Code with (BNS 2023). In the IPC under 304(A), a driver who is involved in a total accident will be imprisoned maximum for two years, but in the BNS It has been divide into two section. The first one is five years imprisonment as penalty for fatal accidents. The second is 10 years imprisonment and fine incase of ‘Hit and Run’ cases.
It is clear that punishment under IPC is less harsh compared to BNS. He said no body want to commit accident. Drivers would never be in a position to pay fines. Further if provisions are implemented drivers would be in jail and not on the roads. Further the prices of essential commodities have sky rocketed under the tenure of the present government and people are suffering.
Further the policies of the government have been a disaster to the workers. In the name of development the government in giving complete freedom to big corporates (including foreign multinational companies), the rich and the mafia to amass huge profit. Agro-industries are handed over to corporates and both farmers and agri-workers are forced to become cheap migrant labour. Rural development has come to a stand still and the vikas is being cornered by national and multinational corporate.The government promised every worker a job but simultaneously converted the bulk of government jobs into contractual work.
