Andhra Pradesh : Left calls for rollback of RTC fares

Movement of buses came to a standstill across the State for quite some time on Monday as activists of the CPI (M) and the CPI picketed bus depots demanding immediate rollback in the recent hike of bus fares. Hundreds of Left party activists who gathered at the bus depots staged demonstrations in protest against the “steep hike” in bus fares announced by the AP State Road Transport Corporation. The agitated activists shouted slogans against the government and the RTC management, while tension prevailed in some areas when the police and the activists jostled with each other. Many of them were arrested.

All-party meet sought

CPI State secretary K. Narayana and CPI (M) MP P. Madhu led the protests by staging a demonstration in front of the Bus Bhavan, the RTC’s headquarters here. Addressing the gathering, Mr Narayana demanded that the government convene an all-party meeting to discuss measures to bring the ailing corporation out of the red. Expressing concern over the first of its kind 51 per cent hike in fares, he said the government could take steps to bring the corporation out of losses by checking the “illegal operations” by private operators that was causing a deep dent in RTC’s revenues.

Activists arrested

Mahabubnagar: Demanding the roll back of RTC bus fares activists of CPI and CPI (M) staged a dharna in front of bus station here on Monday.

Leaders of left parties including CPI district secretary E. Narasima and CPI (M) district secretary Kille Gopal addressing the gathering demanded the government to roll back the bus fares immediately. They also asked the government to take steps to reduce the prices of essential commodities.

Adilabad : The CPI and CPI(M) jointly staged a dharna in front of the RTC bus depot on Monday demanding roll back of the bus fare hike affected a few days back. About 200 activists raised slogans against the hike. They were taken into custody by the Two-Town police and were released later.

Nalgonda : Activists of CPI and CPI(M) district units picketed the RTC bus depot here on Monday. The protesters disrupted the movement of the buses from the depot to various destinations for sometime demanding immediate withdrawal of hike on bus charges. Speaking on the occasion, CPI district secretary Mallepalli Adi Reddy alleged that the government imposed a backbreaking burden on the common man by increasing the bus charges steeply, while the State was reeling under turmoil.

“It is ridiculous on the part of Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and Transport Minister S. Vijayarama Raju to feign ignorance about the move,” he deplored and demanded the government to roll back the hike in the bus charges forthwith.

CPI (M) district secretary Nandyala Narasimha Reddy, Munugode MLA U Yadagiri Rao of the CPI, and others spoke. CPI leader Ghulam Rasool and CPI(M) leader Syed Hasham besides, a host of senior leaders of left parties participated in the demonstration. Artistes of Praja Natya Mandali also staged a demonstration at the bus station in the town denouncing the bus fare hike and skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.

Sangareddy : Demanding to scale down the increased fare in RTC, workers of the CPI(M) held dharnas at the depots in Medak district on Monday. Addressing the party workers, CPI(M) district committee member K. Rajaiah said that the agitation would be continued till the charges were brought down. District committee members G. Jayaraj, M. Adivaiah, A Mainkyam and others participated in the agitation.

Vijayawada: Activists of the Left parties picketed the Pandit Nehru Bus Station to register their protest against the hike in RTC fares as part of a State-wide agitation programme, here on Monday. CPI and CPI(M) workers and leaders raised slogans demanding complete rollback. CPI city secretary and former MLA K. Subba Raju said there could be nothing worse than the RTC hiking the fares without consultations. CPI(M) district secretary V. Umamaheswara Rao, former MLA Sk. Nasar Vali, CPI corporators P. Durgabhavani, D.V. Ramana Babu, I. Appala Naidu, CPI(M) corporators Ch. Babu Rao, B. Sathi Babu, D. Kasinath, K. Ramu, K. Sridevi participated.

Vizhianagaram: CPI (M) district secretary M. Krishna Murty and CPI secretary P. Kameswara Rao, who led the protesters, said that the government instead of resolving the dispute over Statehood issue and soaring prices of essential commodities hiked the bus fares and burdened the poor and middle classes who depend most on RTC services. Following the rasta roko, vehicular traffic at the complex was paralysed for some time. Party leaders Reddy Sankara Rao, B. Suribabu and others participated.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)