Jakhar wants goods transport mafia taken to task for ‘jazia’
Tuesday, 03/12/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131203/punjab.htm#9
Abohar : Anguished over an attack on Congress councillor Suman Taneja, party workers led by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar marched to the Superintendent of Police (SP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal’s office here today.
Office-bearers of the truck and canter (mini-truck) operators’ unions allegedly attacked Taneja, who is also a kinnow waxing plant owner, last night for not paying ‘jazia’ (tax). There have been similar incidents in the past few weeks. The protesters resented that the ruling parties (SAD and BJP) in Punjab had vitiated the atmosphere by installing “criminals” as office-bearers of the unions. They alleged that the “puppet administration” had allowed such elements to take law in their hands.
Jakhar accompanied by former city Congress president Sudhir Nagpal and other senior workers alleged that the members of the unions had been collecting ‘jazia’ from poor operators, failing which they attacked drivers, cleaners and owners. It is said that unions fund political activities of the ruling parties.
The unions had neither been registered nor maintained account books, the Congress alleged. The protesters slammed the administration for allegedly giving a free hand to unauthorised unions to collect tax from small-scale vehicle operators by creating terror.
Jakhar demanded a ban on unauthorised recovery of fee from operators, besides streamlining the functioning of kinnow market. The party warned that the situation might go out of control if measures were not taken immediately.
Meanwhile, protesters said party worker Rohtas Gupta was yesterday booked for removing a dry wood tree outside his shop.
