A women driver holds a placard during the Transport Unions protest against the new penal law on hit-and-run cases, at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The transport unions from across the country held a protest at the Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday against the new penal law on hit-and-run cases.
"We held a peaceful protest at the Jantar Mantar. These laws have the power to ruin families and are akin to capital punishment. Drivers don't hit and run over people deliberately," said All Dilli Auto-Taxi Transport Congress Union president Kisan Verma.
"Sometimes they flee the spot due to the fear of getting attacked by the people. The transport unions from across the country joined our protest," he added.
Verma further said that the government should have consulted the stakeholders before finalising these laws.
Another protester Dinesh Kumar of the Uttar Pradesh Transport Association said, "There are stringent provision under the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which imposes a punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh in hit-and-run case. Hardly a driver gets a salary of Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000 a month, how would he able to pay?"
The truckers had staged a protest against the BNS but ended their strike on Tuesday after assurance.
All India Bhaichara Transport Association president Som Dutt said that a driver only flees the spot due to fear.
"Several incidents of mob lynching had been reported in the past. The government must take back the law immediately," he added.