Truck drivers are expressing disagreement with the new hit-and-run law in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
At the beginning of the New Year, there were huge traffic jams and lines at gas stations as people shared pictures and videos on social media. Ambulances in some cities got stuck in traffic for hours. The reason behind this chaos was a countrywide protest by truck drivers against the new hit-and-run law.
Chaos at petrol pumps across India for refueling amid #TruckDriversProtest; All India Motor Transport Congress to meet today.@ghazalimohammad with more details on the story. pic.twitter.com/C1wVTBVa5t
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 2, 2024
INFORMATION TAKEN BY NDTV
On Monday, drivers started a three-day protest by blocking highways and important roads all over the country. These protests caused not only traffic jams but also made people worry that there might soon be a shortage of fuel, leading them to rush to nearby gas stations.
Truck drivers are expressing their disagreement with the new hit-and-run law in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which is set to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This new law has increased the penalty for road accident cases to a maximum of 10 years in jail. Under the Indian Penal Code, causing accidental death in a road accident had a maximum jail term of 2 years.
The new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita states that if someone causes a person's death due to a careless or reckless act, they could go to jail for up to seven years and be fined. If the person doesn't report the incident or runs away, they could face up to ten years in jail and a fine of ₹7 lakh.
Truck drivers protesting against this law believe it's unfair, especially for drivers of larger vehicles. They worry that they won't be able to afford the hefty fine mentioned in the new law.
One protester, Syed Wajed, who drives a tanker in Maharashtra, said, "We are drivers, how can we pay such a big fine?" The protesters are also concerned that if they try to help injured people by taking them to hospitals, there might be violence against them from angry crowds.
In simple terms, truck drivers are unhappy with the new law's severe punishments and worry they won't be able to afford the fines. They're also concerned about facing violence if they help injured people due to this law.
Truck drivers, private bus drivers, and even some government bus drivers are taking part in the strike. People on social media are saying that cab drivers have also joined the protest in certain states.
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