Putting up a united front against the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2017, various stakeholders in the motor transport industry organised a massive march to the Raj Bhavan here on Thursday.
From autorickshaws to buses to trucks to motor workshops, the rally saw participation of organisations from virtually every facet of the motor transport industry. Trade unions of all political hues except the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) came together for the protest.
The police had cordoned off the stretch leading to the Raj Bhavan. “The Union government is trying to hand over the road transport sector to corporates. The proposed Bill will sound the death knell for public transport,” A.K. Padmanabhan, national Vice-President, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) said inaugurating the agitation.
“We are planning massive protests across the country on the day the bill is to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha”, said K.K. Divakaran, general secretary, All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation.
The Bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.
