Agartala, January 02, 2024: Truck drivers in Tripura have staged a protest against a new law passed by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament, which imposes harsh penalties on drivers who flee from the scene of an accident. The drivers have blocked the national highway of 91 miles area under Kumarghat police station on Tuesday, causing traffic disruption and inconvenience to the commuters.

The new law, which was presented by Shah on December 20, 2023, states that if the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident flees from the spot, the driver will be punished with 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. However, if the driver takes the injured person to the hospital, the punishment will be reduced slightly. The law aims to deter hit-and-run cases and ensure justice for the victims of road accidents.

However, the truck drivers have opposed the law, claiming that it is unfair and insensitive to their plight. They have alleged that the central government does not care about the car drivers and their livelihood. They have also demanded that the government should form a National Drivers Commission and a State Drivers Commission to provide justice and welfare to the country’s 22 crore drivers.

The All Drivers Welfare Association, which organized the protest, has submitted a memorandum to the police headquarters, listing 29 points of demand from the organization. Some of the demands include declaring National Driver’s Day on September 1 every year, which has been celebrated by the drivers for the last decade, and fixing a full renewal process for commercial drivers every five years.

The organization has also sought compensation from the government for the drivers who have been disabled or killed in the past due to accidents. They have demanded that the government should provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the maintenance of the disabled driver and a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the family members in case of death of the driver.

The protest has drawn attention to the issues faced by the truck drivers in the country, who often work under difficult and risky conditions. The drivers have threatened to continue their agitation until their demands are met by the government.