Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. (source: PTI/file) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. (source: PTI/file)

The Shiv Sena seems to have grudgingly accepted the railway fare hike and hoped that this was the last fare hike that citizens are burdened with. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena MPs along with their BJP colleagues will meet Railway Minister Sadanand Gowda to convey the anguish of their voters against this sharp fare hike.

An editorial in the party mouth piece Saamana claimed that had the hike been taken up by the Congress, the opposition would have bombarded it with criticism. “If the same hike had been brought by the Congress, those who would have bombarded it with criticism and abuses are now in government with a full majority,” the editorial in Saamana said. The editorial further states that government should work on improving the services and ensure that this is the last fare hike that people have to face.

“The new government should now introspect how it hurled abuses at the previous Congress regime and honestly work towards improving the efficiency of the railways,” the editorial said, adding “people expect this should be the final increase.”

The 14.2 per cent hike has severely pinched the pockets of the 70 lakh commuters of the suburban railway system. In certain cases the monthly pass rates have almost doubled. Sena has claimed that this move was akin to running train sover the common man.

“Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda has in the first instance brought a steep fare hike and has run the train over the common man,” the editorial said.

The Sena leadership also claimed that the Prime Minster should have come forward to explain the entire price hike.

“ While we understand the government doesn’t have a magic wand, the public was not prepared for this hike. ,” MP Sanjay Raut said.

He also claimed the matter could have been discussed within the NDA before being announced first.

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