Opposition parties continue to show disapproval over rail fare hike

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Atul Kumar Anjaan today condemned the decision to hike rail fares in the country.

Anjaan said, "Public thought that they would get relief from a lot of things, but inflation increased by 6.5 percent, the rail fair increased and the overall inflation rate seems to be 20-22 percent."

"Be it the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party, it seems that there is a competition going between them for inflation. Everyone is helpless, as they are being made to buy high-priced tickets along with water bottles on all the platforms because all the water taps there don't work," he added.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Nilotpal Basu also commented on the hike by saying, "The mentality these people (BJP) have, it shows that there won't be any good days, but very bad ones instead. The government and the Finance Minister don't have that much sensitivity about the issue, as after they burden people, they try to prove that they are very gutsy in making such an announcement (rail fair hike)."

Basu added, "This is the same party, which has decreased operational expenditure of chartered flights by 22 percent. If they really had courage, they would have seen the last government in the last five years gave a discount 23 lakh crore on taxes to the rich class.."

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday defended BJP for increasing railway price and had also said that although the decision was difficult, it was a correct one.

Opposition parties, however, held protests across the nation to voice their disapproval over the steep rail fare hike.