In a notable development, the All Assam Day-Night Super Bus Drivers’ Union has declared a 48-hour halt to bus services throughout the state.
This action is a direct reaction to the recent enactment of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 by the Centre, specifically addressing the strict measures related to hit-and-run incidents. The union is urging modifications to the recent legislation within the next two to three days, and if not addressed, they have warned of an extension to the strike.
The All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation has called on the affiliated groups to support the protests against this new law, the Assam State Unit said in expressing their support for the nationwide drivers’ protests on January 3, 2024.
Additionally, the federation has urged all transportation workers in the industry to join together, speak out against these allegedly vicious offences, and carry on with their protests.
They stated that no one intentionally causes an accident that results in the death of another person, even if these specific sections provide for fines of up to Rs 10 lakh or up to 10 years in jail in the event of such fatalities.
In addition, practically everyone prays to their respective deities before setting out on a journey, and all drivers maintain alert while operating a vehicle. They also emphasised the fact that a number of factors, such as poor road design, damaged roadways, inappropriate dividers, shortage of markers, and even bad weather, might result in accidents. They claimed that prior to imposing the punishment on the drivers alone, the government had not conducted a thorough investigation into the reasons behind these kinds of accidents.
They reaffirmed the other India Road Transport Workers’ Federation’s appeal to other relevant organisations to join the umbrella federation’s protests and to keep up the demonstrations until the Indian government removes the mentioned portions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
 and (2) of the recently passed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.){kind=link}