The second day of the protest took place on Tuesday as part of a nationwide chakka jam against the new law implemented by the central government.
In Bihar, normal life was disrupted as thousands of trucks, dumpers, buses, and auto-rickshaws remained off the roads. The owners, drivers, helpers, and other staff participated in the protests, expressing their opposition to the new law. This law includes a provision for a 10-year jail term and a heavy penalty of Rs 7 lakh in hit-and-run cases. The protestors began the chakka jam on Monday, demanding the withdrawal of the law. In Motihari, the district headquarters of East Champaran, some protestors reportedly burned effigies of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 1.
The protestors, mainly consisting of drivers, helpers, and transporters, blocked several national highways, state highways, and other roads across Bihar on January 2. They parked their vehicles on the streets, causing traffic congestion and long queues of vehicles in most districts of the state. Reports indicate that thousands of trucks, dumpers, and buses are stranded on bypass roads in Patna and other districts such as Rohtas, Nalanda, Jehanabad, Kaimur, East Champaran, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Aurangabad, and Nawada. The long queues of trucks and buses on the roadsides have severely disrupted normal traffic. Karu Prasad, a middle-aged truck driver participating in the protest, described the new law as unjust and detrimental to drivers and owners.
He emphasized that drivers work tirelessly day and night to earn a livelihood, with monthly salaries ranging from 12 to 15 thousand rupees. He questioned the fairness of a law that imposes a ten-year jail term and a hefty fine for hit-and-run cases. Prasad, who hails from neighboring Uttar Pradesh, has parked his truck near Patna since Monday to join the protest.
Prasad inquired about the expectations of the BJP government regarding the payment of a substantial penalty by poor drivers and helpers.
In Patna, the drivers and helpers of CNG town buses abstained from their duties in solidarity with the protestors. This led to hundreds of auto-rickshaws also joining the protest and staying off the roads on Tuesday, causing inconvenience to daily commuters in the city.
Numerous individuals, including migrant workers, who arrived at various railway stations such as Patna, Gaya, Hajipur, and Muzaffarpur, are encountering difficulties in finding buses or other means of transportation to reach their native villages due to the Chakka Jam.
There are also rumors circulating about an imminent shortage of petrol and diesel at the local petrol pumps. As a result, a large number of two-wheelers and four-wheelers were observed outside petrol pumps in Patna and other towns, as people feared the validity of these rumors.
Furthermore, protestors blocked Gandhi Setu, the longest bridge on the river Ganga in Hajipur, Vaishali, which is considered the vital link connecting Patna to North Bihar. It was reported that a constable from the government railway police threatened to use force against the protesting drivers, helpers, and transporters in Hajipur when they refused to discontinue their blockade. This action infuriated the protestors to such an extent that the police team had to retreat from the scene.
Uday Shankar Singh, the president of Bihar Motor Transport Federation, expressed that their ongoing demonstration has been a resounding success throughout the entire state. Undoubtedly, it has caused disruptions in traffic on national highways and state highways. Since Monday, this protest has had a significant impact on trade and business, amounting to crores of rupees. However, it is imperative to safeguard the interests of drivers and transporters. Singh emphasized that the central government should promptly retract the new legislation to minimize the adverse effects of these protests on businesses and the economy.
Singh further highlighted that the transportation of essential commodities, such as vegetables, fruits, milk, medicines, and food items, has been severely affected due to the protests. Additionally, even traders involved in construction materials and other sectors are likely to face repercussions. Consequently, the prices of these items are expected to rise, further burdening the common people who are already grappling with high inflation.