Service Tax: Truckers’ Stir From Tomorrow

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New Delhi, Aug 19: Truckers owing allegiance to the All India Motor Transport Congress will go on a nationwide indefinite strike on August 21 to protest imposition of service tax, AIMTC president BN Dhumal said.

“We will go on the strike to protest the imposition of service tax. Apart from the core issue of the service tax, high toll tax, frequent changes in the diesel price and spiralling crimes on highways is costing our industry dearly,” he told a news conference.

The decision of finance minister to impose 10 per cent service tax on transporters was “unfortunate”, he said, adding “in 1997, the government imposed 5 per cent service tax but withdrew it after a nine-day strike by transporters”.

The then revenue secretary NK Singh had assuerd the transporters that tax would not be imposed again, he said.

The truckers would observe the response of the government for the initial 3-4 days from August 21 and if the government does not pay heed to the demands, transportation of essential commodities would also be stopped.