Crocodile tears

Sir — The Congress’s fake concern over and crocodile tears on the ‘burden’ of additional rail fares on the common man are highly amusing. The party appears to have conveniently forgotten the hike proposed in the railway Budget by Mr Dinesh Trivedi of the Trinamool Congress, then an ally of the UPA.

This had led to the odd spectacle of his own party supremo Mamata Banerjee repudiating the proposal, leading to not just the withdrawal of the hike but also the exit of Mr Trivedi from the ministry. 

The Congress’s Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, and its Minister of Finance, had fully supported the hike but were stymied by the populist approach of their allies and the likes of the National Advisory Council.  

Now, however, when the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government has introduced the inevitable raise in fares, which was essential in the present situation as the railways is bleeding under mounting losses, it is hypocritical of the Congress to feign concern and sympathy for the common man.