Hyderabad: Telangana Two Wheeler Riders Association Convenor and Telangana Auto Drivers JAC convenor Mohd. Amanullah Khan, while disputing the Government’s contention that heavy increase in the penalties for various traffic offences will reduce the road accidents, has announced his decision to undertake “fast-unto-death” from September 1, the day of implementation of the new penalties, demanding “prohibition first-increase in penalties next”.
He said that both the Central and State Governments in the country are trying to fool the people by claiming that the heavy increase in the penalty rates alone will reduce the increasing number of road accidents. Further he alleged that helmet is a sign of slavery days and demanded the KCR government to pass a resolution in the next Assembly session making turbans compulsory instead of helmets and do away with the sign of slavery days. He reminded that the discriminatory helmet law was originally incorporated under the British rule as section 85-A of the M.V. Act, 1939 in the days of slavery and later the same was copied as section 129 of the MV Act, 1988 without any modification and as such, there is an urgent need to do away with the sign of slavery days as the same is insulting.
He pointed out that the discriminatory helmet law exempted people of Sikh community to wear turbans in the place of helmets. So in another words, it means that the traditional Indian turbans are good as wearing helmets and they are more safer and comfortable as compared to helmets and can prevent from head injuries in case of accidents. He said that the government should own up the responsibility for the road accidents taking place due to drunken driving and for the crimes in the society including atrocities on women committed in a drunken State.
He disputed the claim of KCR Chief Minister that he would achieve Bangaru Telangana without having enforced total prohibition in the State at first and the same is aimed at deceiving the people.
He demanded the Chief Minister KCR that like Jagan Mohan Reddy, AP Chief Minister, he should grant Rs. 10,000/- to each and every Auto Rickshaw towards annual Insurance Charges and for vehicle repairs and take necessary steps towards enforcing total prohibition in the Telangana State on the lines of Andhra Pradesh State. (NSS)
