Srinagar, Mar 7: BJP has strongly criticized the Omar Abdullah-led NC government over the recent 18 percent hike in transport fares, terming the decision as illogical and anti-people.
In a press conference held at the BJP headquarters in Jammu, party leaders said that instead of imposing an additional burden on the common people through a steep fare hike, the government should roll back the increased fuel prices, which would provide relief to transporters and protect citizens from further financial strain. Dr Abhijeet Jasrotia, Spokesperson, J&K BJP, and Yudhvir Sethi, MLA Jammu East, accompanied by Ved Sharma, All Cells Incharge, Ashutosh Mahajan, Convenor Transport Cell, and Roshan Lal and Kamal Preet Singh, Co-Convenors of the Cell, addressed the press conference.
Addressing the media, Dr. Abhijeet Jasrotia said that the fare hike imposed by the Omar Abdullah government is illogical, insensitive and a direct betrayal of the promises made to the people of J&K in the 2024 election manifesto.
Dr. Abhijeet said that instead of providing relief to the public, the government has chosen to burden the already struggling common man, which will have a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities. He said that once transport fares increase, the cost of goods and daily necessities automatically rises, thereby pushing the common citizen into further economic distress. He pointed out that students, daily wagers, labourers and families with limited and meagre incomes will be the worst affected, as they depend heavily on public transport for their daily needs. He added that this decision will severely hit the household economy and disturb the kitchen budget of ordinary families as pricing of everything will directly shoot up due to the increase in fares, exposing the government’s anti-people mindset.
