Truck drivers’ union leader Happy Sandhu revealed in a video that the drivers’ were planning to organize a protest in Rama Mandi chowk Jalandhar at 11 AM. Following this, him and the drivers congregrated at the aforementioned spot to oppose the hit and run law introduced by the Government. Amidst the demonstrations, Happy Sandhu was detained by the police on the spot prompting the congregated crowd to chant slogans of “Happy Sandhu zindabad” and “Punjab Sarkar Murdabad’. The protests are ongoing at the Rama Mandi chowk causing problems for the commuters.
According to reports, Happy Sandhu had released a video and announced staging a protest at Rama Mandi Chowk today. After this statement of Happy, Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma himself took command and reached the spot in Rama Mandi with heavy police force. The commissioner provided reassurance that situation had settled down and that the protest will not take place. He said that he had talked to the union and reached an agreement wherein no protest will be staged. Sandhu later said that he has not made any agreement with anyone
Despite the Commissioner’s reassurance, the drivers’ congregated at the spot at 11:30 AM to stage the protest. Police were present at the spot and detained Sandhu. According to reports, the Commissioner had held a prior meeting with the Union and said that an agreement was reached with the Union denies.
What is the Hit-and-Run law?
According to the central government, the truck driver responsible for a major accident involving hit and run can face upto 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of upto 7 lakhs INR. The transporters came out in numbers to oppose this ruling saying that the accidents are not deliberate and that the sentence is too harsh. They also argued that the fine could not be realistically paid by them taking their salary into account hence the law should be revised.