The move of proposing a hike in rail fare is receiving criticisms from all the corners and has given a chance to the oppositions Congress to slam BJP-led central Government.
In this series, the city wing of Congress party on Saturday afternoon took out a rally to register their protest against the hike.
About 150 Congress workers advanced to gherao the district collector’s office but were blocked by a heavy police force, deployed a few yards before, to avert any untoward situation.
The agitators, including woman workers, raised anti-Government slogans.
“In absence of the district collector, we handed over a memorandum to the tehsildar addressing the Prime Minister and Railway Minister to withdraw the hike in railway fare” said the Youth Congress leader, Ejaz Dhebar, who led the agitation. The agitators also handed over a memorandum against the ongoing ration card verification and cancellation drive in the State.
At evening, a large number of Congress workers led by the city president, Vikash Upadhyay, participated in a demonstration outside the BJP office. However, a heavy police force did not let the agitators to reach the demonstration site and arrested many of them in the halfway.
While Upadhyay was holding a mirror as a bid to ‘show it’ to the BJP-led central and state government, the party workers were shouting anti-government slogans.
Upadhyay accused the Government of failing to check the inflation rate. “Soon after coming into the power, BJP government has taken decisions including increasing the petrol and gas price, hike in electricity tariff and now a hike in railway fares. All these steps have only increased the inflation rate” said Upadhyay further asking “is it starting of ‘good days’ as promised by BJP before the elections”. The arrested party workers were brought to the Central Jail and were released around two hours later on filling personal bond.
Meanwhile, reports of Congress and other political outfits protesting against hike in railway fare came from different parts of the state throughout the day.
The party leaders expressed to intensify their agitation, if the Government fails to take back on the aforesaid issue in near future.