LS okays tough traffic rules

Bogus driving licences, vehicle thefts, traffic violations are set to become a thing of the past as Lok Sabha on Monday passed crucial amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act.

Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari while replying to a discussion on the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016, said once the changes are incorporated in the law, it would be impossible for anyone including VIPs like politicians to obtain driving license without tests.

Under the new system, every one will have to go to the licence-issuing authorities under a uniform procedure and if the licence is not issued in three days, then the RTO will have to face action. A learner’s licence can be availed online.

BJP leader Tarun Vijay’s racist remarks against south Indians caused huge uproar in Lok Sabha as the Congress-led Opposition demanded that he be booked for sedition.

Despite assurances from home minister Rajnath Singh and parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar that Mr Vijay had apologised for his comments as they were “indefensible”, the unrelenting Opposition disrupted the proceedings in the lower house thrice and finally staged a walkout.

The trouble started as soon as the House met for the day at 11 am, when Congress MPs K.C. Venugopal and Mallikarjun Kharge tried raising the issue during Question Hour. Despite Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s assurance that they will be allowed to do so during Zero Hour, Congress and Left MPs entered the well of the house, forcing an adjournment for 10 minutes at 11.10 am.

Later, during Zero Hour, Mr Kharge while raising the issue, read out Mr Vijay’s comments. “We want to know whether south Indians are citizens of India or not?” he asked.

At this juncture, Mr Rajnath Singh got up to respond and said that the concerned person (without naming Mr Vijay) has already apologised.