|
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs D Sudheer Reddy, Kaleru Venkatesh, and Mutha Gopal on Tuesday demanded that the recently hiked RTC bus fares be rolled back immediately. To witness the impact of the fare hike first-hand, the MLAs boarded an RTC bus from Nampally Exhibition Grounds to the Telangana Legislative Assembly, travelling alongside regular passengers.
According to an official statement, many passengers expressed their discontent over the increased burden while traveling with MLAs. "Several stated that the fare hike was costing them up to 500 extra per month -- an unsustainable amount for low-income families. Some even raised slogans against the Congress-led state government," read the party's statement. Speaking to the media at the Assembly bus stop, the MLAs lambasted the Congress government, accusing it of being anti-poor. "This fare hike is yet another proof that the Congress administration does not care about the common man," Sudheer Reddy said. Kaleru Venkatesh and Mutha Gopal added that this move, along with earlier increases in vehicle taxes and liquor prices, reflects the government's continued assault on the pockets of ordinary citizens. The MLAs also alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is consistently looking for avenues to impose financial burdens on people. "There seems to be a deliberate strategy to push RTC into a deeper financial crisis, using fare hikes as a tool," they claimed. Particular concern was raised over increased charges on student bus passes. "First, they burdened students, now they've extended it to everyone else," Mutha Gopal said, questioning whether this so-called 'change' promised by the Congress only meant heavier financial pressure on the poor. Eariler, BRS working president KT Rama Rao condemned the decision of the Telangana Chief Minister Revnath Reddy-led government to increase the city bus fare in Hyderabad by 10, calling it a "cruel conspiracy" to exploit poor and middle-class commuters. The new fares, which came into effect on October 6, will add an extra burden of at least 500 per month on regular commuters. KTR criticised the decision, stating that the increased fare comes at a time when the general public is already facing rising prices of essential commodities. Speaking on behalf of the economically weaker sections of society, KTR raised a question to the Chief Minister, asking how the underprivileged and daily wage earners would adjust to the hike, which now poses an additional burden of Rs 500 per month. The BRS leaders reiterated their party's commitment to fighting for the poor and said they would continue to mount pressure on the government until the fare hike is withdrawn. (ANI)
|
