The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has asked the government to restore the subsidy on diesel to bulk customers such as State transport undertakings and the Railways in public interest.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat called the decision to charge market rate on diesel ‘retrograde.’ He said the subsidy withdrawal would “cripple the public transportation system at a time when the necessity is to strengthen the public transportation system.”
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr. Karat asked him to reconsider the decision, which, he said, would make the bulk customers pay an extra Rs. 11-12 a litre and plunge them into financial crisis.
“There are reports of transport corporations curtailing their services and reducing the routes. Steps are being taken to increase bus fares. All this is going to badly affect the common people who use public transportation,” he said.
