AAP protests hike in rail fares

Gurgaon, June 21 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Saturday staged a protest here against the central government's decision to hike rail fares.

The demonstrators chanted slogans against the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded an immediate rollback.

The AAP volunteers marched through the crowded roads of old Gurgaon and burnt effigies of "corruption" and "price rise", an AAP spokesperson told IANS.

"The common man of the country felt cheated as the BJP had promised to bring down prices and help them get rid of hardships. People are shocked over the move to hike passenger fares and freight charges," the spokesperson said.

The central government Friday raised the railway passenger fares by 14.2 percent in all classes and freight charges by 6.5 percent. The new passenger fares and freight rates will come into effect from June 25.