Bhubaneswar: Criticising the BJD government, senior Congress leader and Jatni MLA Sura Routray said Monday that people are being terrorised by the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019. He stated that police and RTO officials are harassing the people in the name of the new act.
Drawing the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy and other officials, Routray demanded that checking of vehicles and documents should be stopped immediately.
“If this unnecessary harassment of commuters is not stopped immediately, the Congress will have no option but to demonstrate in front of the RTOs, police commissioner and central government offices. They will be gheraoed,” said Routray. “Other states have reduced the fines substantially. So it should also be implemented in Odisha,” he added.
The Congress MLA pointed out that with unemployment on the rise in Odisha people will find it very difficult to pay such huge amounts. However, he also urged the vehicle owners and drivers to follow traffic rules and have their documents ready in case the police want to check those.
Behera was quick to hit back at Routray. “All officials involved in checking have been asked not to misbehave with people. If anyone is found guilty stringent action will be taken,” said the transport minister.
Behera said that the rules in the new MVA are being implemented to prevent accidents. “Since the rule has come into effect, there has been a 50% fall in accidents,” Behera informed. “Everyone will have to follow rules,” he added.
PNN