Srinagar, Dec 7: Day after Jammu and Kashmir government approved hike in transport fares, state unit of CPI (M) today termed the decision as "anti-people" and demanded its immediate rollback.
"The hike in transport fare is one-sided, arbitrary and unjustified. It has been announced at a time when the shooting prices of essential commodities have pushed the people to the wall," State Secretary of CPI (M) M Y Tarigami said in a statement here.
"The decision taken by the Government is most deplorable and needs to be opposed tooth and nail," he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in winter capital Jammu yesterday, approved re-fixing of maximum chargeable fares “in case of stage and contract carriers.”
As per the Cabinet decision, 14.40 per cent hike has been approved in existing fares of big buses (stage carriage), 13.49 per cent hike in mini buses (stage carriage), 12.13 per cent hike in taxi, maxi cabs (contract carriers) and 8.81 per cent hike in petrol driven auto rickshaws (contract carriage).
Tarigami said the government decision would put more burden on the people who are already suffering a great deal because of all-round price rise.
"The lower and middle income groups will be the worst hit by the increase in transport fares," he said.
"The state government has repeatedly failed to do its bit in controlling the inflation and instead of improving its administrative practices, it is resorting to taxing the commuters, which is unfair and unprecedented,"
Tarigami called for an immediate rollback of the hike.
Tariagami said as had been with the recent decisions over hike in prices of diesel and LPG (cooking gas), the Government was taking one anti-people decision after another, subjecting the common man to severe hardships.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST