Fuel pumps in several states are witnessing long queues over the past couple of days, as several cities witnessed panic buying of fuel amid the truckers’ protest.
What Are Truckers Protesting Against?
Protests broke out in multiple states against the high penalties for hit-and-run accidents in the new criminal law, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which is set to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code.
Under the new law, hit-and-run cases can attract up to 10 years in jail and a fine of INR 7 lakh. Truckers, cab drivers and others operating commercial vehicles said they would be unable to pay the high fines in the event of an accident.
Happy Sidhu, president of All Punjab Truck Operators’ Union, called the new law a ‘black law’ that will destroy truckers in Punjab.
Protests across the nation
Tyres were burnt and roads blocked in Patna as truck operators raised slogans and questioned who would feed their families if they were sent to jail for 10 years in the event of a hit-and-run.
In Navi Mumbai, a group of truckers attacked a policeman early this morning on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway, PTI reported, as police stepped in to disperse the mob.
In Thane, the protesters blocked Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway and threw stones at police, while a police vehicle was damaged.
One driver said ‘Penal action should be taken against the owners of our vehicles. This law is unfair on us. We will continue to be on strike till our demands are met.’
Another said ‘We are drivers, how can we pay such a huge fine?’
The new law under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
Hit-and-run accidents and death due to rash driving is covered under the law for causing death by negligence.
In the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the hit-and-run law which has received the President’s assent after it cleared Parliament, has two clauses under Section 104.
‘Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine,’ says the first clause.
‘Whoever causes death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide and escapes from the scene of incident or fails to report the incident to a Police officer or Magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine,’ says the second.
Currently, hit-and-run accidents are covered by IPC’s Section 304A. In the IPC, accidentally killing a person in a road accident had a maximum jail term of two years.
‘Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both,’ it states.
Chandigarh imposes fuel limits amid supply concerns
Amid the ongoing strike, Chandigarh on Tuesday imposed a temporary restriction on the sale of petrol and diesel. Fuel pumps in several states have been witnessing panic buying amid apprehensions that the truckers’ protest will hit fuel supply lines.
Effective immediately, two-wheelers in Chandigarh are limited to 2 litres or a maximum value of INR 200 of fuel, while four-wheelers are limited to 5 litres or a maximum value of INR 50.
‘The imposed limitations are a proactive measure to ensure the availability of fuel for all during this period of temporary disruption of fuel supply,’ the Chandigarh Administration said.
‘Fuel station operators are urged to comply with these regulations, and consumers are kindly requested to cooperate with the imposed restrictions,’ they added in an official statement.
The District Magistrate emphasized that this measure is a precautionary step, until normalcy is restored.
‘Efforts are going on to resume supply of fuel to Chandigarh in coordination with Oil Marketing Companies and Punjab and Haryana,’ the statement read.
No need for panic buying says Punjab amid rush at fuel pumps
Punjab on Tuesday said that there was ‘no need’ for the public to panic as adequate stock of petrol and diesel is available in the state.
Punjab Home Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh said that the ‘stock is not uniformly positioned at all the stations at any point in time. ‘
‘While certain filling stations may be at zero level, others may have full stock and, therefore, the stock position of a few Filling Stations should not be used to reflect the position of total stocks in the State,’ he said.
He appealed to the public to refrain from panic buying.
A high-level meeting involving senior state and district officials was also convened on Tuesday to monitor the distribution of petrol and diesel in Punjab.
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