The State government that could spend crores of rupees on freebies should be able to find alternative ways to support the ailing State Transport Corporations and the Aavin, instead of raising the bus fare and price of milk, R. Annadurai, MLA of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has said.
Addressing a protest meeting here on Friday, he wondered why the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government did not increase the bus fare and price of milk before the local body elections. Asking the government to withdraw the hike, he said otherwise the people would take to the streets against its decision.
Mr. Annadurai wanted the Centre to share 30 per cent of its taxes with the State government. The party urban district secretary, B. Vikraman, said that the government had proposed to “loot” the poor, the common man, small traders and small-scale units by proposing to increase the electricity charges.
Stating that the people in power had become “arrogant,” thinking that they had the majority in the Assembly to rule the State for the next five years, he said that the history was that the people had been teaching lessons to such people.
Gift for people?
He wondered whether it was the gift for the people who had overwhelmingly voted the AIADMK to power both in the Assembly and local body elections.
Condemning the increase in price of milk, he said that every family would be affected since milk was a predominant part of everyday food, especially for the infant and the invalid.
The party's former MLA N. Nanmaran was present.
