The Hindu : Deadlock in talks with truckers continues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 20, 2003

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Deadlock in talks with truckers continues

By P.K. Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI April 19. While the indefinite strike by the truckers entered the sixth day today, there was hardly any forward movement towards breaking the deadlock following the failure of their talks with the Road Transport and Highways Minister, B. C. Khanduri, on Wednesday.

And as the strike seemingly is getting further prolonged with all its adverse implications for the common man and the economy, the patience of the common man as also industry apparently is running out. They want the Government to do something to bring the strike to an end. No wonder there were some appeals for an early settlement of the issues as the movement of goods within the country and from the ports have been crippled besides the prices of essential commodities further shooting up. Even the striking truckers are learnt to be getting restive.

Indications emanating from the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) which is leading the strike were that earliest the dialogue between the truckers and the Government could be resumed would be on Monday. To prepare ground for the dialogue, Mr. Khanduri is learnt to have been talking to the Chief Ministers in relations to the demands of the truckers falling within the purview of States. Dropping hints about a possible meeting in the beginning of the coming week, the AIMTC general secretary, B.M. Saksena, said, "we expect the talks with the Government to resume on Monday''. Following a request from the Government, AIMTC had agreed to defer further by a day blockage of goods such as milk and LPG cylinders, he said.

Later in the evening, countering rumours about development of serious differences among the striking truckers, he accused the Government of trying to break the strike and announced a dharna by the truckers at Jantar Mantar here on Monday. If the issues are not resolved, the situation might get worse with the tempos and other small cargo vehicles ready to join the truckers' strike which might find an echo in Parliament when it resumes its session from Monday after a 10-day break.

Meanwhile, in what is seen as a setback of sorts for the striking truckers, the All-India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners' Association (ACOGOA), which had extended tacit support for the strike, accused the AIMTC leadership of not being able to handle the situation in an appropriate manner. It demanded a review of the situation in view of the "frustrating developments'' of the past few days.

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