Haryana Bus Driver Garlanded With Shoes For Not Participating In Strike

A Haryana Roadways bus driver was garlanded with shoes while a conductor was also heckled allegedly by some employees at Dabwali in Sirsa district as they refused to participate in the nationwide strike called by central trade unions, an official statement said on Wednesday. 

Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma said an FIR has been registered on the complaint of the driver and the conductor.

Public transport services were affected in Haryana for two days as the Roadways employees came in support of the nationwide strike called by central trade unions on March 28-29 to protest against the Centre's alleged wrong policies.

Mr Sharma said it is everyone's democratic right to protest but if employees misbehaves by garlanding their colleagues with shoes, then strict action would certainly be taken against those found guilty.

Along with the legal action, strict departmental action too will be taken against such employees, he added as per an official statement.

"Sharma said this in reference to the incident where a Haryana Roadways driver was garlanded with shoes for not taking part in the strike in Dabwali, Sirsa district (on Tuesday). In this strike, the bus conductor was also heckled by (some of) the employees (who had joined the strike) as he refused to participate in the said protest," the statement said.

Police have also made some arrests in the matter, the minister said.

"Such people who indulge in such actions will not be spared," he said.

Mr Sharma said during the two-day strike, general managers of the Roadways did a "good job" in some districts and got a large number of buses plying on the roads but general managers of some districts failed to do so.

Departmental action has been initiated against such general managers, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Sharma alleged that the employee unions are spreading rumours and misinformation about the privatisation of the Haryana Roadways.

He said the truth is the government is continuously increasing the number of buses in the fleet of Roadways. Recently, 2,000 Roadways employees have also been promoted, he added.

"Haryana Roadways is leading in the country. The general public will not face any kind of trouble," he said.

On Monday, Sarbat Singh Punia, a leader of the joint front of 10 unions of Roadways employees, had alleged that the BJP led Haryana government was not strengthening the Haryana Roadways fleet.

"This indicates their intent to promote privatisation of the transport services. There were 4,200 buses in the Haryana Roadways fleet about six years ago, which have been reduced to 2,600 now and route permits are given to promote private buses.

"Haryana Roadways needs 10,000 buses in its fleet but the government is not paying heed (to it)," Mr Punia had claimed.