People's Democracy

THE Communist Party of India (Marxist), Delhi state committee has condemned the increase in bus fares declared by the Delhi government and demanded it’s immediate withdrawal. Saying that this hike entails further hardship for the poor and lower middle class of the city, it called upon the people of Delhi to protest against this measure and force its withdrawal.

The reasons put out by the government for the hike -cost incurred by the IGL due to the price increase of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) - is nothing but a cover up of brazen looting of the people, felt the state committee in a statement released on May 7. It pointed out that CNG is being provided at Rs 3.55 per kg for industrial use as compared to Rs 16.82 per kg for public transport. "This is nothing but brazen subsidizing of private profit and recovering this amount by looting the people. Effective and affordable public transport is a social necessity, the provision of which is the responsibility of the central and state governments. However, being votaries of neo-liberal market economics, any such steps are an anathema to them." said the committee.

It also rejected the dubious plea of the Delhi government that as most commuters travel no more than 4 km, the impact of this hike will be limited. "The majority of working people have to travel long distances to work. Among them are lakhs of those displaced to the outskirts of the city through the process of demolition/relocation of jhuggi clusters. The fact that these sections will be hit the hardest lays bare the anti-poor nature of this step."