Bengaluru: Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association on Monday threatened to launch a transport strike from May 1 onwards if the state government does not roll back the “unscientific” price hike imposed on the transport sector before 30 April.
Addressing a press conference, the association Secretary C Nandish Reddy said, “Since 1 April, older vehicles are subjected to 16 times more fees which has taken a toll on the lives of poor people. Moreover, the validity of fitness certificates have been reduced, throwing the transport sector off balance.”
He alleged that the central government earlier imposed a fine of Rs 100 to Rs 500 over violation of traffic rules for heavy vehicles, which has now soared to Rs 5000 to Rs 25,000 and added that the motor vehicle officials are taking advantage of it.
Association members Chenna Reddy, Sairam, Pandian and Chandrashekhar were present in the press meet.
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Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray said war was not a solution to the problem of terrorism, and the government should give priority to finding the perpetrators of terror attacks.
On a day Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, he said the government must be questioned about why a terror attack could take place in Pahalgam in the first place.
"War is no answer to a terrorist attack. In the US, they (terrorists) toppled the Twin Towers, attacked the Pentagon. The US did not wage a war. They killed those terrorists," said the MNS chief, speaking to reporters here.
"You have not found the terrorists who attacked (tourists in Pahalgam). Why there was no security in a place where thousands of tourists are going for the last many years? It is more important to carry out a combing operation inside our country and find them out. The airstrike, distracting people....this, war can not be the solution," he added.
Instead of Wednesday's planned mock drill of Civil Defence, a "combing operation" should be carried out all over the country, Thackeray further said.
Criticizing what he called a misplaced show of strength, Thackeray said, "There seems to be a desire to create a war-like situation in another country. Now we see mock drills and sirens (going off). But we need to ask the fundamental question, why did this (attack in Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 civilians were killed) happen in the first place?"
He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his itinerary in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. "The prime minister was in Saudi Arabia when this (terror attack) happened, and he returned early, only to go to Bihar for campaigning. That was not necessary. He went to Kerala for the inauguration of Adani's port and later came to Mumbai for the WAVES function. If the situation was so grave, all this could have been avoided," said the MNS chief who had backed Modi during the 2024 general elections.
The government's failures need to be pointed out, Thackeray said, adding the country does not need a symbolic response. "Find the terrorists, dismantle their networks, and tackle the drug menace that is spreading through our streets," he said.