By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : The government Friday acted tough and arrested top leaders of striking truckers on the fifth day of their agitation that is leading to supply shortages and rising prices of essential commodities, but All India Motor Transport Congress vowed to fight till their demands are met.
More than the supplies, panic buying at different places was a cause of concern for the government as the prices of fruits, vegetables and other essential goods started rising, to counter which the government would impound trucks and push in private vehicle to smoothen movement of goods.
AIMTC President Charan Singh Lohara and Secretary S Venugopal, along with 30 other leaders were arrested by the Delhi police, while more state governments took action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act in tandem with the Centre to break the agitation.
There has been no negotiations for the last two days, with the government wielding the stick as Transport Secretary Brahm Dutt said, “The government will not yield this time. We will deal with them firmly.”
However, an officer-bearer of AIMTC, which is leading the strike to press for their demands including a Rs 10 cut in diesel prices, and slashing of taxes and tyre prices, said, “The strike will go on as there is more loss in running the business under the present circumstances (than the strike).”
The prices of vegetables, fruits or other perishable items, said traders, were more or less in control, but a sense of panic among the people had started surfacing, they added.
Earlier in the day, warning the striking truckers of more arrests under ESMA, Transport Secretary Brahm Dutt said, “We plan to run 15-20 lakh (1 lakh=100,000) vehicles in the next few days for supply of essential commodities. For this, trucks would be impounded and other private vehicles would be arranged.”