l Question timing of decision, demand immediate rollback
lCong says its govt had planned with the new concept of fuel
adjustment component
TEAM HERALD
NEW DELHI: The Congress condemned the Modi government for the rail fare and freight hike, ignoring own hand in the new rates its UPA government had planned with the new concept of fuel adjustment component (FAC) introduced in the interim railway budget in February.
Other parties too criticised the government’s decision to hike railway fares terming it as “criminal” to burden the people with such an increase and questioned as to why Parliament was not taken into confidence before taking the step. They questioned the relevance of taking such a decision when the budget session has already been announced and also demanded an immediate rollback.
Congress general secretary and chief spokesman Ajay Maken tweeted: “They have rewarded ppl who voted for them this way, Congress strictly condemns this.”
He told reporters: “It has not been even 30 days since Modi Government came into power and despite their ‘good day’ promise this is the reward the government has paid to the common man for voting them to power. We shudder what is in store for the people in the next five years of this government.”
Maken said the people will have to gird up for the “bad days” ahead as there is already a question mark on monsoon and the problems in Iraq are bound to push up the oil prices. He said that the increase in fare would result in an increase in coal prices, which would directly affect electricity prices and it would lead to an increase in the price of fruits, vegetables and all other commodities.
He said the families on summer vacation will be badly hit as the fare hike is from June 25 and they may not have time to get money from home to pay the difference the train ticket examiners will demand.
Congress secretary and Goa MP Shantaram Naik wondered why the BJP government was taxing the common passenger when it had boasted to bring “black money” into India to finance its all budgetary proposals. The pre-budget hike instead of declaring it in Parliament also shows that the BJP government “will defy parliamentary conventions and rules of business shamelessly right and left in days to come.”
Left was also critical of the move and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “reward” to the people, whom he had promised to bring relief.
“We strongly condemn the unprecedented hike in railway fare. This is going to be a huge burden on the people at a time when they are already battling relentless price rise,” CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said.
JD(U) too echoed the view with former Railway Minister Nitish Kumar saying that NDA government was “promoting the bad tradition” started by the UPA.
The Trinamool Congress came down heavily on the Modi government saying it was following the “tricks of the previous government” and there was no respite for common man.
“Is this a super rail budget before the rail budget? The common man is already burdened, now he will be over-burdened,” Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP and spokesman Derek O’Brien said.
The Samajwadi Party also questioned the relevance of the increase at a time when the budget session has been announced and said that the people should be ready to get burdened in the general budget as well.
“This is the beginning of good times. I could not understand that when the budget session is scheduled in July, what is the relevance of increasing the fares before that. Then what is the relevance of Parliament,” SP leader Naresh Aggarwal said taking a dig at the Modi government.
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 in Chennai.
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.
Narendra Modi government Friday announced increasing railway passenger fare by 14.2 per cent in all classes and freight by 6.5 per cent.
Aggarwal said that it now seems that there would be heavy increase in taxes in the general budget as well and people should get ready to take on the added burden.
“This government neither will be able to stop price rise nor fulfill the promises it has made. There is so much of internal fight in BJP that the government is not able to take any decision. This is the country’s misfortune that the government is going to impose such high inflation,” the SP leader said.
Meanwhile, former railway minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad described the fare hike as the “first salvo on the common man”.
“The BJP befooled people in the general election by promising ‘achee din’ (good days) …they have fired the first salvo from ‘tope’ (cannon) on common man’s chest by announcing the increase in rail tariff,” Prasad told reporters, adding that he does not remember any government in the past which had announced such a major increase.
REACTIONS
It has not been even 30 days since Modi Government came into power and despite their ‘good day’ promise this is the reward the government has paid to the common man for voting them to power. We shudder what is in store for the people in the next five years of this government.
– Congress general secretary Ajay Maken
We strongly condemn the unprecedented hike in railway fare. This is going to be a huge burden on the people at a time when they are already battling relentless price rise
– CPI(M) member Brinda Karat
Is this a super rail budget before the rail budget? The common man is already burdened, now he will be over-burdened
– TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien
The BJP befooled people in the general election by promising ‘achee din’ (good days) …they have fired the first salvo from ‘tope’ (cannon) on common man’s chest by announcing the increase in rail tariff
– RJD chief Lalu Prasad
