The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) congratulates the road transport workers and employees for their successful and massive all India strike. Workers belonging to the public transport, private buses, autorickshaws, taxis and trucks numbering two crore workers participated in the strike.
The workers were protesting against the Road Transport Safety Bill 2015, the passage of which would enable the privatization of the transport sector, to the detriment of the state-owned transport corporations and other bus operators. Some of the provisions provide harsh penalties to the drivers and can be liable to misuse.
The Polit Bureau demands that the Modi government discuss the provisions of the Bill with the representatives of the transport sector including the workers unions instead of trying to push through the Bill in parliament.