The Hindu Business Line : Truckers' strike to continue

NO SOLUTION YET: The Revenue Secretary, Ms Vineeta Rai, with Mr J. M. Saksena (2nd from left), Secretary General, All-India Motor Transport Congress, and other transport operators at a meeting in the Capital on Monday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Aug. 23

NEGOTIATIONS between the Government and the striking truck operators and owners to resolve the three-day old agitation failed to achieve any tangible results on Monday.

With the Government not yielding to their demand for withdrawal of service tax imposed on goods transport agency, the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the apex body spearheading the strike, has vowed to continue with the stir.

The Revenue Secretary, Ms Vineeta Rai, held two rounds of discussion with officials of AIMTC but failed to persuade the apex body of truckers to withdraw the three-day-old stir which has delayed goods movement and jacked up prices of fruits and vegetables.

``Nothing short of an assurance from the Finance Minister will convince us. The Revenue Secretary does not have enough powers. We have been demanding a meeting with Mr Chidambaram or the Finance Secretary, Mr D.C. Gupta, but the Government appears unwilling to resolve the crisis,'' the AIMTC President, Mr B.S. Dhumal, said.

``We had second round of discussions but there will be more discussion. The strike is continuing,'' Mr J.M. Saksena, General Secretary, AIMTC, said after a marathon meeting lasting for over two hours.

The meeting was also attended by senior officials of the Central Board of Excise and Customs.

Mr Saksena, however, declined to disclose the specifics of the negotiations saying that both the sides have decided not to make any comments in this regard. ``We have discussed the issue of service tax with the Revenue Secretary, but the talks were not conclusive. The AIMTC had raised certain points which the Revenue Secretary said will have to be discussed with the Finance Minister,'' Mr Saksena said.