CPI (M) adopting double standards: TN Min on bus fare hike

Tamil Nadu Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar on Sunday hit out at Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) for adopting "double standards" by protesting against the government over bus fare hike.

Vijayabhaskar while addressing a gathering here said that the party which supported the fare hike earlier, turned against the government soon after it was rolled out.

"During transport workers' strike, communist party unions favoured fare hike to generate revenues but now when it has been done, they started protesting against us," Vijayabhaskar while addressing the gathering here.

"This shows the double standards of the party," he added.

The Tamil Nadu minister also sought apology from the people for raising the fare and said that the decision was taken due to "financial constraints".

Earlier on Saturday, Vijayabhaskar said there was no possibility of rolling back the hike in fares of the state government buses.

"No chance of that," said Vijayabhaskar, when he was asked if there was a possibility for reviewing of bus fare hike in the state, in Karur.

After six years, the E. Palaniswami-led government on Friday hiked the fares of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses in Chennai from Rs 3 to Rs 5, and the maximum from Rs 14 to Rs 23.