Truck Drivers Protest: What is the New Hit-and-run Law That Has Led to Nationwide Strike?

The New Year began with a nationwide transportation strike across several states against the provision in the new penal law on hit-and-run law road accident cases.

The strike continues on Tuesday as drivers of commercial vehicles, including trucks, tankers and buses stopped work while the National Highways and roads remained blocked.

The newly implemented Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which will replace the Indian Penal Code, has a stricter provision including punishment of up to 10 years for drivers involved in hit-and-run cases.

Many transport unions and farmer organisations have strongly criticised the new law and demanded its repeal. An association of petrol pump dealers in Maharashtra has warned that pumps may go dry if the transporters protest is not resolved soon.

What does the new law on hit-and-run cases say?

Under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which will replace the colonial era Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.

“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,” the new legislation in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita reads.

Earlier, individuals accused in hit-and-run cases were tried under Section 304A of Indian Penal Code, facing penalties of up to two years in jail upon identification.

Why are Truck and bus drivers protesting against it?

Private transport operators have claimed that the law discourages drivers and may lead to unjust punishments. They claim that the drivers could be subject to mob violence when they attempt to transport the injured to hospitals and demand the repeal of the law.

“This law (provision) is against the interest of drivers. Drivers don’t want to kill anybody, but road accidents happen. In such cases, people turn against the driver. We demand that the new law be amended,” said Pramod Sikarwar, one of the protesters at Board Office Square in Bhopal.

“The new provision on hit-and-run cases will apply to all vehicles, not only to tankers or trucks. There are problems at some places, and people are scrambling to store fuel in panic,” said Ajay Singh, president of the Madhya Pradesh Petroleum Association, in Bhopal.

Since Monday, protestors have blocked roads and highways across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. The blockade has not just affected vehicle movement and fuel supply.

A transporters’ body on Tuesday said that the strike had impacted the movement of nearly five lakh vehicles in Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh appealed to the agitating drivers to discuss the issue with the government. “Enacting a law doesn’t mean it was made to take penal action against them. They should sort out the issue through discussions. We will talk to them,” he said, adding that the government will ensure smooth movement of people and vehicles on priority.