DMK president M. Karunanidhi has criticised the steep increase in rail passenger and freight fares, saying it would hit the people hard.
While the passenger fare increase would amount to a direct burden, the high freight tariff would push up the prices of essential commodities, he said in a statement on Saturday.
Mr. Karunanidhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that he would undo all the “mistakes” of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, but there was no major change in the way the government approached the issues of the people, be it the relationship with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, the continuing attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy on Tamil Nadu fishermen, the government’s stand on the language for communication and diesel price hike.
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Even after announcing the date for the presentation of the Union budget, the government chose to declare a 14.2 per cent increase in passenger fares and a 6.5 per cent increase in freight rates. Though the UPA government decided to increase the rates, it chose not to implement the decision, he said.
As all parties condemned the increase and considering the hardship it would cause the poor, the BJP government should withdraw it, he said.
BJP’s claim beliedADVERTISEMENT
The former Union Minister, G.K. Vasan, said in a statement that the increase, coming as it did before the Union budget, was condemnable. It would hit the people. The measure belied the BJP government’s claim that it was for the poor.
TNCC president B.S. Gnanadesikan said the BJP resorted to the backdoor method, as the Railway budget was to be presented in July. When the UPA government increased the freight charges in 2012 ahead of the Railway budget, the BJP said it was an attempt to breach the privilege of parliament. He said.
He said the Congress would stage a demonstration in all district headquarters and in all corporation areas across the State on June 27 (Friday) to protest the hike.