Bhopal: In response to nationwide two-day strike beginning from Monday, trucks were off the roads in Madhya Pradesh to protest against Goods and Services Tax (GST), high diesel prices and harassment at roads at toll points. Operators called it a token strike observed to send the message to union government about problems cropping up due to GST and increase in prices of diesel.
Trucks were seen off the roads in the city since morning with most transport vehicles parked near check-posts on highways. As a result, vegetables and other essential commodities could not reach market for sale. Residents may face shortage of vegetable for next couple of days.
All India Truck Operators’ Association member Harish Dabar said, “Transporters all over the country are up in arms against GST, diesel prices, harassment of truck operators and corruption on roads and toll policies. Earlier, it was demonetisation, which badly affected the market and now GST has created problems at every level. Our strike is against problems truck operators are facing. We demand simplification of GST.”
According to Dabar, truck operators are facing huge losses and harassment due to “suffocative policies” of the government. “This is our token strike and if government doesn’t act, we will call an indefinite strike after Diwali.” The truck operators have demanded to rationalise taxes on diesel and bring it under ambit of GST to bring uniformity in pricing across the country.
