threaten for city bandh on harassing in the name of compulsory helmet rule

Association convener Mohd Amanullah Khan sand an anti-helmet meeting of the two wheeler riders will be held shortly and the date of the proposed bandh will be announced.  The association has been demanding that a resolution be passed in the ensuing Assembly session permitting all communities to wear turbans instead of helmets. “Like Sikhs, everyone should get a waiver”, Mohd Amanullah Khan said, adding that the State government should pressurize the Centre to amend Sec.129 of Motor Vehicles Act to ensure that two-wheeler riders are not inconvenienced.

style="text-align:justify;text-indent:0.5in">Khan said the State government’s approach to the helmet issue was discriminatory which made the association take this stand. “The Government has exempted people of Sikh religion from wearing helmets since they have turbans.  So this means that turbans are good as wearing helmets and can prevent head injuries.  Why there are no such exemptions for people of other religions? This is discriminatory and we demand that instead of helmets the riders should be asked to wear turbans”.

Khan also threatened nationwide strike if no amendments are made to the helmet law. United States and some western countries have done away with the compulsory helmet rule.  In India, it was only being implemented so that the traffic officials can harass riders and take bribes from them, he argued.