Southern States - Kerala   

Ministers differ on talks with truckers

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM July 15. The Transport Minister, R. Balakrishna Pillai, and the Finance Minister, K. Sankaranarayanan, were heard speaking in different voices in the Assembly today on the question of holding talks with the striking truckers.

While Mr. Pillai had no doubt that there could be talks with the truckers if they desired so, Mr. Sankaranarayanan was of the view that there was no need for any talks on the stir which was in protest against the Government decision to hike taxes payable by them.

Mr. Pillai, who was replying to a submission by T. P. Ramakrishnan (CPI-M), took cover under the Kerala High Court ruling that the Government can effect a 25 per cent hike in taxes as against the 50 per cent hike proposed by it and said the Government proposed to strictly adhere to the Court directive. He was, however, ready to listen to the Opposition plea that the truckers should be called for a dialogue on the issue.

Mr. Pillai said the Government would be ready for talks provided the terms of the negotiations would be subject to the court directives. He also questioned the claims made by the truckers about the tax rates in the various neighbouring States and said the rates in Kerala were less as compared to those in these States.

The Transport Minister said the practice of trucks from Kerala being registered in States with low tax rates like Nagaland would also come to an end now as a decision had been taken not to allow the practice to go unchecked.

The Minister said the State Government would go in for alternative arrangements if the truckers did not see reason.

Stir total, claims truckers

Our Kozhikode bureau adds: The stir by the motor vehicle owners, which commenced from midnight on July 14, was total in the State, a statement from the Kerala State Lorry Owners Federation said.

The chairman of the Joint Agitation Committee and president of the federation, P.M. Mohammed Ali, averred that more than two lakh motor vehicle owners in the State had joined the strike.

No coercion or threat or incidents of violence were reported from any centre in the State.

There had been no entry of vehicles from outside the State either since the announced deadline, it was added.

Mr. Mohammed Ali appealed to those participating in the strike to carry the agitation to a logical conclusion. The protest ought to be carried on in a peaceful manner, even if there were provocations, he said.

He added that the statements made by the Transport Minister, K. Balakrishna Pillai, on the floor of the Assembly today relating to the vehicle tax hike in the State was opposed to facts and not the truth. The Minister's statements relating to the High Court directive on the tax hike were also not based on facts, Mr. Ali alleged. The High Court was yet to make a final decision on the issue, he said.

Mr. Mohammed Ali pointed out that Mr. Pillai had said in the Assembly that the vehicle tax in Andhra Pradesh was three times than that in Kerala, which was also not true. On the contrary, the prevailing tax in that State was far below what is being collected in Kerala, he added.

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