The Hindu : Truckers to move essential goods for one more day

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 19, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

Truckers to move essential goods for one more day

By P.K. Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI APRIL 18. An immediate end to the truckers' strike was nowhere in sight as the stir entered its fifth day today. However, the possibility of a solution being found in the next couple of days cannot be ruled out.

Significantly in a conciliatory development, the Friday midnight deadline set by truckers for rescinding exemption for essential commodities such as vegetables, fruits, milk, gas and perishable goods from the purview of the strike was extended by 24 hours this evening.

The truckers had earlier during the day appeared determined to intensify the agitation by withdrawing the exemption in the wake of failure of the first round of talks with the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, B. C. Khanduri, yesterday.

Though both the Government and the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), which is spearheading the agitation, did say that the talks would continue, there was no word on when the negotiations would be resumed. There had been no fresh contact between the Government and the truckers. This was attributed to the fact that both the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Mr. Khanduri were away on a visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

One more positive development was a meeting at Hyderabad between AIMTC president, B. N. Dhumal, and the Andhra Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, with the latter promising to use his good offices to facilitate a settlement. The AIMTC has also met the Union Labour Minister, S. S. Verma, to seek his help in finding a solution.

The AIMTC general secretary, J.M. Saxena, was not very aggressive in his pronouncements today as he talked in terms of his organisation being keen on finding a solution to their problems through negotiations. Besides, the BJP general secretary, Pramod Mahajan, had taken up the demands of the truckers with the Prime Minister yesterday.

Indications are that an intervention by the Prime Ministers, whom the AIMTC leaders are keen to meet, might pave the way for an early end. The desire for such a meeting with the Prime Minister was expressed by the AIMTC leadership yesterday. The possibility of a second round of discussions with Mr. Khanduri and a meeting with the Petroleum Minister preceding their possible interface with the Prime Minister have not been ruled out.

The AIMTC had on Thursday suggested a meeting of all the Chief Ministers of the States and the Central Ministers dealing with issues raised in the 10-point charter of demands to sort out matters. But the talks ended in a deadlock as no assurance was held out by Mr. Khanduri who simply conveyed the Government's stand on their demands to the AIMTC delegation.

Meanwhile, prices of vegetable, fruits and other perishable items continued to rise as a result of dislocation of their movement to the wholesale markets.

PTI, UNI report:

The Karnataka Government has made contingency plans to move essential commodities while the Transporters and Drivers' Council, Manipur, has threatened to take all vehicles, including buses and trucks, off the roads from Monday if their demands are not met.

Transporters in Bihar, who have so far kept off the strike, will join the agitation on April 21.

The Maharashtra Truck Owners' Association Treasurer, Jatinder Rekhi, has once again appealed to the Prime Minister.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

PM extends `hand of friendship' to Pakistan

Truckers to move essential goods for one more day

Asghar Ali pulled the trigger: CBI Director

Transfer of power within weeks: Chalabi

SARS patient discharged

First stealth warship launched

New British envoy

Laloo wields the lathi

Tamils, Muslims clash in Sri Lanka