Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 26: President of All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Associations, B Channareddy, said that the truck owners will begin indefinite strike from June 18, protesting against hike in petrol and diesel prices, increase in third party policy premium rates and in support of a number of other demands.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday May 25, Channareddy noted that diesel price has been going up every day. He blamed the central government for affecting this hike since the last some years. "Since 2002, third party insurance premium is also going up steadily. This increase of this premium now stands at 1117 percent. Our repeated requests to contain this increase have fallen on deaf years. Therefore we have decided to protest," he explained.

Channareddy said that if their demands are not met by June 18, indefinite strike will be undertaken from midnight that day all over the country, as a result of which all kinds of goods transport vehicles will stop plying. He accused the central government of not addressing problems like toll charges and taking unilateral decisions. He also blamed the government for allowing private companies to conduct third party insurance business which has been creating problems.

"About 80 percent of truck owners own one or two vehicles and they are facing problems in repaying loans raised from banks. They are not even able to cover diesel cost out of hire charges. Therefore, we demand immediate action failing which protest will be held," he warned.