Political parties protest hike in RTC bus fares

VISAKHAPATNAM: A number of political parties, including BJP staged protests across the city against the state government’s decision to increase RTC bus fares. The parties demanded that the government withdraw the hike.
A number of BJP workers including former floor leader of the assembly P Vishnu Kumar Raju, city president M Nagendra and Suhasini Anand staged protests at the Maddilapalem Bus Complex.
Speaking at the protest gathering, Vishnu Kumar Raju accused the state government of burdening the public. “The government has the money to implement Navaratnalu but not support the RTC. It should take back the decision. Otherwise, we will carry out massive protests across the state along with other parties,” Raju said.
Meanwhile, the CPI also staged a protest near the Telugu Talli statue on the highway at Maddilapalem. JV Satyanarayana Murthy, state assistant secretary of CPI said that the government has simply put the burden on the public instead of seeking out alternative ways to overcome losses.
Murthy further said that the central government should subsidise the GST on diesel. The CPI leader said that YSRC president YS Jaganmohan Reddy had assured the public that he would not increase fares once the party comes into government. “But he cheated the public,” Murthy assertively accused. “The increased bus fares will put an everyday burden of Rs 1.5 crore on the public,” he said.