Maharashtra truckers body joins nationwide stir

Hundreds of truckers in Maharashtra continued to stay off the roads for the fourth day yesterday to protest the levy of service tax.

Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Bus Vahatuk Mahasangh, which had earlier stayed away from the strike, has joined the strike on Wednesday, according to Mahasangh sources.

The strike has been called by All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) demanding roll back of service tax, restoration of TDS to pre-budget figure, security of truckers on the highways and scrapping of old vehicles by passing an act in the parliament/ assembly.

Even though there was no disruption in supply of essential items, goods from various industries did not move out for delivery, the Maharashtra Rajya Truckers and Tempos Association sources said.

The representatives of the association, who are hopeful of a positive outcome in the ongoing dialogue in New Delhi, have urged the prime minister and the Congress president Sonia Gandhi to intervene in the talks.

According to Daljit Singh, the association president, the city may not feel immediate impact of the strike but if the stalemate continued for few more days, then the supply of essential goods also can be affected severely.

Meanwhile, state transport minister Ashok Chavan met the representatives of the truckers' associations yesterday where they put forward a few local issues.

The association had threatened to intensify their agitation if ESMA was not dropped against them as "they were carrying out their movement peacefully".