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Mamata wants general/sleeper fare hike reversed
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee stuck a reconciliatory tone on Monday on the issue of rail fare hike.
Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banjerjee stuck a reconciliatory tone on Monday on the issue of rail fare hike by indicating that she is willing to forgo her demand for a complete rollback if the hike in general/sleeper class fares is reversed.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament house, before a meeting with TMC MLAs, Mamata said the increase in upper class fares can be tolerated but not in general/sleeper class tickets.
“The actual poor, those who travel by train daily for 100 kilomteres, the ticket will cost them Rs 150 more per month. We will not do anything that will disturb the common man,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said. “In the sleeper class too, the aam janta of the country travels…they have already increased freight rates by 20%, that also I did not know,” she added.
“We want modification in rail fares so that common people do not get affected,” she said.
On the wider issue, she said that Trinamool Congress is the only party that has never asked for any advantage from the government. “We are the third largest party (in the government). We never asked for cabinet berths, we have no office in Delhi,” she said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister informed the Lok Sabha that he has accepted the resignation of Dinesh Trivedi as rail minister and the matter has been forwarded for the Presidential nod.
However, he did say that he was saddened by Trivedi’s resignation.
Mamata’s confidante and current Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy is expected to take over as the new rail minister.
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banjerjee stuck a reconciliatory tone on Monday on the issue of rail fare hike by indicating that she is willing to forgo her demand for a complete rollback if the hike in general/sleeper class fares is reversed.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament house, before a meeting with TMC MLAs, Mamata said the increase in upper class fares can be tolerated but not in general/sleeper class tickets.
“The actual poor, those who travel by train daily for 100 kilomteres, the ticket will cost them Rs 150 more per month. We will not do anything that will disturb the common man,” the West Bengal Chief Minister said. “In the sleeper class too, the aam janta of the country travels…they have already increased freight rates by 20%, that also I did not know,” she added.
“We want modification in rail fares so that common people do not get affected,” she said.
On the wider issue, she said that Trinamool Congress is the only party that has never asked for any advantage from the government. “We are the third largest party (in the government). We never asked for cabinet berths, we have no office in Delhi,” she said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister informed the Lok Sabha that he has accepted the resignation of Dinesh Trivedi as rail minister and the matter has been forwarded for the Presidential nod.
However, he did say that he was saddened by Trivedi’s resignation.
Mamata’s confidante and current Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy is expected to take over as the new rail minister.