Truckers idle against fuel price hike

New Delhi, Jun 13 (UNI) A day-long all-India strike by truckers against the latest hike in fuel prices affected commercial road traffic across the country today.

The transport of daily use items such as fruits and vegetables, milk, water, poultry and meat products remained unaffected because they were outside the purview of the strike, called by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC).

The strike was peaceful since it was voluntary and no picketing etc was involved, AIMTC Advisor J M Saxena said.

''Nearly 70-80 per cent of the 27 lakh heavy commercial vehicles and five lakh light commercial vehicles were off the road. A big proportion of the 1.5 lakh transport companies also remained closed,'' he maintained.

''Ours was a symbolic strike, aimed at catching the government's attention to our demands and we think we have succeeded,'' he said.

According to reports from various states, the movement of minerals, stones and industrial products was affected as truckers whiled the hours away on highway eateries and transport offices.

The AIMTC Managing Committee would take a decision later this month on its future agitational programme, Mr Saxena said.

The AIMTC says the Government should not charge excise, customs and sales tax on fuel price that is increased intermittently.

Petrol and diesel prices have gone up six times since the Congress-led UPA assumed power at the Centre, it points out.

(EDS: here pick up suitably from related series).

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