The Modi Government has started its brutal attack on the people with the unprecedented increase in the Railway fares, both for the passengers and for freight. The increase in the passenger fare is 14.2% and in the freight charge 6.2%. Such increase has never been ordered in the past.
The argument that the increase in the fares have been proposed by the UPA Government does not hold water. Even decisions taken by the UPA government are being changed when it suits the NDA government. There was no compulsion on the NDA government to take anti-people decision which has started by the UPA government. The argument that there is a loss of Rs. 26,000 crore to Railways and hence the price rise is also difficult to digest. The priority for the government is to find out the reason for the loss and ensure that more efficient operation is carried out.
This decision will put the railway passengers in serious difficulty. The people who are already suffering due to the huge increase in the prices of essential commodities will have to face another price increase due to the increase in freight charges.
The decision to increase railway fares is to be strongly opposed and defeated. Unless this is done, more and more attacks will continue.