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Tens
of thousands of transporters strike in India
New
Delhi/ Jalandhar: Tens of thousands of truckers stayed
off the roads on Monday after talks with Indian officials
to cut taxes and diesel prices broke down. This move of
the truckers has threatened to push up prices of food
and commodities across the country. The
All-India
Motor Transport Congress, which says it represents 6 million
trucks across the country, has called the indefinite strike
till their demands are met, according to Rajesh Talwar,
president, Transporters Federation of India.
"We
have gone on a strike from midnight. We will continue
our strike until our demands are met by the government,"
said All India Motor Transport Congress President Charan
Singh Lohra. Demands of over two lakh transporters, who
went on an indefinite nationwide strike, include lowering
of diesel prices by Rs 10 per litre, the withdrawal of
service tax on truckers, a moratorium on all installments
and waiver of interest on truck finance for at least six
months. The other demands are providing for a free movement
of trucks in the country without any national or state
permit and setting minimum freight in view of high input
costs. On Sunday, Lohra met Secretary of the Ministry
of Road Transport and Highways, Brahm Dutt but failed
to come to any conclusion. Earlier, the transporters threatened
to go on strike from December 20, 2008, but they deferred
it till January 5 because of the special situation caused
by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November.
-Jan 5, 2009
