The Coordinating Committee of 33rd Driver’s Day Observation, 2022 urged the public to stop discrimination against drivers, while reminding that they are the ones serving the people by importing essential commodities despite bad road connectivity and several other challenges.
To honour the drivers, All Manipur Road Transport Drivers’ and Motor Workers’ Union (AMRTDMWU) is organising the 33rd Driver’s Day Observation, 2022 at Sumang Leela Shanglen on January 14.
Speaking to the media at its office located at MG Avenue on Monday, general secretary of the union Anil Maimom said that to stop discrimination and issues against drivers including those driving highway goods vehicles, they launched an agitation on January 14, 1990 at Koirengei old airfield. Since then, the day is being observed as Driver’s Day, he said.
He further said the highway goods vehicle drivers have been facing many issues such threats from armed miscreants along the national highways. Many innocent drivers and assistant drivers were killed in connection with monetary demands and illegal taxes collected by armed miscreants.
Despite all these, they are still continuing their services to import essential commodities for the state, he added.
Anil also recalled that an assistant driver who was also a student was killed by some armed miscreants along the national highway. He further raised concerns that drivers continue to face these challenges but people are still discriminating them.
To commemorate the drivers who were killed by miscreants or by road mishap, the driver’s union will pay floral tributes to 287 deceased drivers on the Driver’s day observation, said Anil. He appealed to the people to take part in the observation and stop discriminating the drivers.
