Helmets are mandatory from today, but people are against it: Says - Give pressure-free and pothole-free roads, Satyagraha committee formed, BJP leader writes to CM-Home Minister

Protests are being seen from all sides in Rajkot city after the helmet drive of the police started from September 8. Senior BJP leader Govind Patel has already submitted a representation to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister against the decision to make helmets mandatory on the suggestion of the state government. At the same time, a Satyagraha committee has also been formed to protest against the helmet. There is a demand to keep helmets mandatory only on highways instead of cities. Wearing helmets on potholes in the city will increase the number of accidents that are not visible around the city, while wearing helmets for a long time will lead to respiratory diseases. In the RTI filed by the Saurashtra Congress spokesperson, it has been claimed that overspeeding and heavy vehicles are responsible for the deaths of 400 motorists in two and a half years. Demand that there should be no helmet law in urban areas The Rajkot city police will start a helmet drive in the city from September 8 and from September 8, helmets will be made mandatory for all two-wheeler riders. On September 3, former BJP MLA and former state minister Govindbhai Patel wrote a letter to the chief minister and the home minister demanding that the helmet law should not be implemented in urban areas and should be made mandatory on highways and roads outside the city. Residents of Rajkot are also supporting Govind Patel's presentation and demanding that there should be no helmet law in urban areas. Former BJP MLA writes letter to CM-Home Minister Former Rajkot South MLA Govindbhai Patel has written a letter to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister requesting the Gujarat High Court to give effect to the helmet law. The order is to be implemented from 8.9.2025. The decision has been made in the interest of two-wheeler drivers who are dying of precious human life and dying of haemorrhage, which is welcome. However, I would like to draw your attention to a humble plea, which has some difficulties in its implementation, and if you ask the High Court for some relief in this regard, it can be resolved judiciously. Saving a helmet or shopping when going to the market He said that this law should not be implemented especially in urban areas as it is not possible to drive vehicles more than 15 to 20 km in urban areas due to traffic. Therefore, an accident that endangers human life is unlikely. Apart from this, when the husband and wife and one or two children go to the market for shopping, the problem of helmets increases. When you have to park a two-wheeler and walk 50 to 300 meters to the market, it becomes very difficult to take care of the child, take care of the helmet or shop and the chances of hemorrhage in a vehicle accident running at a speed of 15 to 20 are also negligible. Demand for exemption of helmets in urban areas I believe that all two-wheelers have to suffer due to the accidents that occur when a two-wheeler is hit by a four-wheeler and an accident occurs, except for the accident of a person who is driving at full speed. For this, I personally believe that the city should be exempted by requesting the court. I also believe that it is necessary to implement it on highways outside the city. I request you to do less about what can be done legally in this regard. Rajkot Congress Spokesperson's Presentation to Collector with RTI Statistics There is a lot of protest among the people against the decision to make helmets mandatory for motorists in Rajkot city. The Opposition is also opposing the decision. Congress Saurashtra zone spokesperson Rohit Singh Rajput had submitted the matter to the collector on August 6. In which the helmet law has been termed as a nuisance for the general public and according to RTI data, 400 people have died in accidents in two and a half years. It has claimed that overspeeding and heavy vehicles are responsible in most of the cases and demanded that the decision be reconsidered in the interest of the people. If this does not happen, there is a threat of agitation. Statistics obtained from RTI presented Congress student leader Rohit Singh Rajput had made a representation to the collector against the decision to make helmets mandatory in Rajkot. He termed the decision as anti-public interest and said the law was not meant to protect the people but to impose fines. He highlighted the shortcomings of the traffic department, such as shortage of staff, poor condition of roads, and corruption by presenting data obtained from RTI. They have also threatened to agitate if the decision is not withdrawn. Allegations of corruption and shortcomings of the traffic department The helmet law is not for safety, but to levy fines In his presentation to the Collector, Rohit Singh Rajput said that the Helmet Act was implemented in 2019 when Vijay Rupani was the Chief Minister, but due to public opposition, it was informally declared voluntary in cities. He questioned the government as to why the safety of motorists suddenly came to mind. He clearly believes that this decision has been implemented only to harass the common man. He has requested the city police commissioner of Rajkot and deputy commissioner of the traffic department to take a trip on a scooter once to see the reality of Rajkot. Dumpers, trucks and private buses enter the city illegally Rohit Singh has raised many issues to oppose the helmet law. Due to the poor condition of the city roads, potholes, incomplete works and dilapidated roads in Rajkot, the speed of vehicles cannot be kept beyond 25-30 km/h. Despite the police commissioner's notification, heavy vehicles such as water tankers, dumpers, trucks and private buses enter the city illegally. Traffic police are absent despite a serious traffic problem in the narrow markets of Rajkot. Satyagraha Committee formed to repeal the Helmet Act In Rajkot, the Helmet Satyagraha Samiti violated the law of civil disobedience and raised slogans demanding the abolition of the helmet law when the helmet law was made mandatory from Monday, September 8. The committee says that in the rainy season, when the helmet law comes into force, nothing will be seen around and the sisters and daughters will be saved from being crushed by a big vehicle, but the torso will be separated from the body. He also expressed fears of an increase in incidents of rape. 'There is no need for helmets in the city' While the police said that helmets have been made mandatory to meet their target, there is no need for helmets in the city. When women have to drop their children to school and go to many other places, where to keep the helmets and the potholes on the road due to the rainy season, the accidents will increase instead of decreasing. Therefore, there is a demand that the helmet law be repealed. Letter to CM, Chief Justice of High Court, Traffic Commissioner with demand for helmet exemption In a letter dated September 7 to the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court, Chief Minister and Traffic Commissioner, Bhikhalal Sahayata, president of Rangoli Park Society flat holder Hitrakshak Samiti for the exemption of helmets in Rajkot city area, said, "As a conscious citizen of the state of Gujarat, I would like to bring to your attention a very important issue through this letter. At present, there is a lot of dissatisfaction among the general public about the rules regarding the mandatory wearing of helmets in the state. There is no doubt that helmets are necessary for safety. Yet, the rules that are currently in place are becoming a nuisance to many citizens. Some of the real situations are as follows: Disadvantages of wearing helmets Proper demands of citizens We are not against wearing helmets but strict enforcement should be done only after providing the following basic facilities. We request you to kindly consider our representation and make necessary amendments in the helmet rules keeping in view the inconvenience of the citizens. Our aim is to provide both convenience and security to the citizens while abiding by the law.