The Assam Motor Workers’ Joint Council (AMWJC) has decided to observe 24-hour chakka bandh on June 4, 2018 demanding scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, cut in the hike in petrol and diesel prices and seeking a motor workers welfare Act in Assam.
Talking to the media during a press conference in the city on Friday, AMWJC president Mathura Das said, “We are going to observe chakka bandh in protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government’s failure to control hike in fuel prices, move to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the State Government’s inaction to come up with a welfare Act for the motor workers.”
State Committee of All India Motor Workers’ Federation (AMWJC), Asom Petroleum Mazdoor Union, Northeast Heavy Goods Carrier Truck Owners and Drivers Welfare Association and Asom Motor Shramik Federation have jointly appealed to all the motor workers and owners to observe the chakka bandh on June 4, 2018.
Speaking on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 issue, Mathura Das said, “The Central Government has not shown any respect towards the political parties, organisations, intellectuals and common people of the State, who have been agitating against the Bill demanding implementation of the Assam Accord to identify and deport the illegal migrants from Assam.”
The AMWJC president, while urging the Central Government to cut excessive taxes on petrol and diesel, said, “We ask the Central Government to bring petrol and diesel under Good and Services Tax (GST) so that the people can avail the fuel under ‘one nation one tax’ system.”
Bringing allegation against Assam’s Labour & Welfare Minister Pallab Lochan Das, the president said, “Pallab Lochan Das has done nothing for the welfare of the motor workers of the State till date.”
Das further demanded the State Government to come up with a motor workers’ welfare Act.