Condemning the “unprecedented” hike in rail fares and freight charges, Left parties on Friday attacked the Narendra Modi government for pursuing the same policies of the previous UPA government and demanded a roll back.
“This is a cruel blow to the working people who have been victims of relentless price hikes in the years of Congress misrule. Instead of bringing them some relief as promised in his election campaign, the Modi government has put a huge burden on the mass of people who use the Indian railways,” the CPI(M) Polit Bureau said in a statement.
“The increase in freight rates will have a cascading impact on prices of essential commodities which are transported by rail across the country,” it said.
Maintaining that the Railway Budget is to be placed in Parliament in a few days, the CPI(M) said, “The government has taken such an anti-people step behind the back of Parliament.
Earlier the BJP used to condemn pre-budget hikes of the UPA government as anti-democratic. The Modi government has followed the same path.”
Demanding a rollback of the hike, CPI National Secretary D. Raja said, “Within a month, the Modi government has started showing its true colours. On the one hand, it is siding with the corporate houses and taking stark anti-people measures on the other.”
He asked how the new government was different from the UPA as the BJP regime was “pursuing the same policies of de-linking the hiking of rail fares from the budget. The government is yet to face Parliament for the budget.”
“Such a huge increase will bring more burden on the common people. Where is Modi government’s promise of good governance or good days,” Mr. Raja said.
Both CPI(M) and CPI have asked all their state units to organise protests across the country on the issue.
Lalu slams Modi government
Former railway minister and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad also slammed the Narendra Modi government for announcing “big” hike in rail fare and freight, which he described as the “first salvo on common man”.
“The BJP befooled people in the general election by promising Achee din...they have fired the first salvo from toop (tank) on common man’s chest by announcing big increase in rail fare and freight,” Mr. Prasad told reporters.
Mr. Prasad, who served as railway minister in UPA I and earned praise by not raising fare for five years during his tenure and generating surplus for the Railway, said the BJP government showed its “real character” by announcing the hike within days of coming to power.
“I do not remember any government in the past had announced such a big increase in Railway fare and freight in one go,” Mr. Prasad said reacting on the 14.2 per cent increase in fare across all classes and hike in freight charge by 6.5 per cent with effect from Friday.
Jayalalithaa demands roll back
Strongly opposing the hike in railway passenger fares and freight tariff, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to roll back the increase in the interests of the poor and the middle class people.
“I appeal to the Prime Minister to roll back the hike considering the welfare of the poor and the middle class people,” she said in a statement here.
The hike would severely affect the poor and the middle class and also lead to a steep increase in prices of essential commodities and vegetables, she said.
At a time when inflation was still riding high, such a hike would only further increase it and severely affect the country’s economy.
“I appeal to the Prime Minister to increase the revenue of the Railways through other avenues instead of going in for hike in passenger fare and freight rates.”
Stating that the fuel cost-linked revision in passenger and freight tariff was launched by the previous UPA regime, she said the hike was supposed to have come into force on May 20 but put on hold due to Lok Sabha polls.
“This has given rise to suspicion among people as to whether NDA was following the policies of Congress-led regime,” the Chief Minister said.
