Withdraw hike in bus fares, Badal family major beneficiary: Bajwa
Friday, 09/08/2013
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/punjab/withdraw-hike-in-bus-fares-badal-family-major-beneficiary-bajwa/84514
NAKODAR (JALANDHAR): Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Partap Singh Bajwa today demanded to immediately roll back the increase in bus fares and Motor Transport tax and said that family of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal which holds about 90 percent stake in total passenger transport business in state would be major beneficiary of this hike.
Addressing a meeting of party workers here Bajwa said that SAD-BJP government was out to crush the common man and family of Chief Minister is busy filling their coffers by dubious means. He said that beside transport, the members of Badal family were controlling liquor and mining as well. He said that Badal government had increased 20 percent bus fares on October 13, 2012 making a rise of 13 paisa per kilometer. He said that last two revisions in the bus fares had added about Rs.200 crores per year in the kitty of Chief Minister and his close relatives in transport business.
Bajwa said that the effective increase in bus fares would not be 10 percent due to five percent increase in the Motor Transport tax on mini bus operators. It has been increased from Rs.40000 to Rs. 50,000 annually. The step was taken to make the business unviable for self employed small transporters. He said that mini bus permits were given by former Congress government to educated unemployed to operate in rural areas. At the same time the fleet of AC and luxury buses owned by ruling family has been exempted from hike in Motor Transport Tax, he added.
Bajwa said that time the SAD-BJP government had made a hike of 9 to 12 percent in power tariff on April 10, 2013 for domestic and industrial consumers. During SAD-BJP rule of last six years an unprecedented power hike of 29 percent has been made. At a time when industry needed incentives to survive the competition, the Badal government has burdened it with more taxes.
PPCC President announced that Congress would launch an agitation against the hike in power tariff, bus fares and sand mafia. He said that he had already asked the party MLAs to check illegal mining and take media teams along to expose the lies of ruling SAD-BJP regime. He reiterated that illegal mining was going on unabated with the political patronage of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia who are hand in glove with mafias.
Bajwa said that the night patrolling started by Sukhbir Badal had proved a nightmare for the people particularly in rural areas where criminals have became active after so called night security. He said that police was partner in the crime otherwise there is no reason of sudden spurt in incidents of thefts, chain snatching, eve teasing and highway crimes. In border districts organized gangs were operating at night. He said that unaccounted gunmen given by police to SAD leaders were involved in the crime.
He said that Sukhbir Badal was taking cosmetic steps to befool the people and no serious efforts are being made to improve law and order, Deputy CM had no interest in the public welfare as he flies every evening to Delhi where his family lives and business exists. He said that Punjab Government helicopter was being misused by Deputy Chief Minister to enhance his life style.
Bajwa said that SAD-BJP government has failed to fulfill promises made with the people mainly the dalits, unemployed youth, women and employees. He said that not even a single promise was fulfilled. The economic situation of Punjab was deteriorating day by day and SAD-BJP regime was imposing taxes on people to run the day to day working of government. PPCC President asked Sukhbir Badal what was the need to impose fresh taxes if financial position of the state has improved, as he claims.
Bajwa asked the party workers to fight against misrule of SAD-BJP alliance and save Punjab. He said that Lok Sabha poll in 2014 would give an opportunity to the people to defeat the ruling alliance. He told party workers to highlight the welfare schemes of UPA government at center particularly the Food Security ordinance issued by the center government. He said that Food Security bill introduced in the Parliament will guarantee food to 67 percent deprived population of India.
Others who addressed the meeting included Mohinder Singh Kay Pee MP, Tarlochan Singh Soond Vice President PPCC, Amarjit Singh Samra, Ch. Jagjit Singh, Ch. Santokh Singh, Rajanbir Singh, Jagbeer Singh Brar, Brij Bhupinder Singh Kang, Col. C.D.Kamboj, Avtar Henry, Arun Walia, Varinder Sharma, Darshan Singh Brar and Dr. Ram Lal Jassi. The members of Mahila Congress, sewa dal and youth congress also attended the meeting.
