Protests in Odisha over rail fare hike

Bhubaneswar, June 21 (IANS) Various political parties Saturday organised separate protests in Odisha against the central government's decision to hike rail fares.

While hundreds of activists of the Communist Party of India staged a demonstration at the railway station in state capital Bhubaneswar, the state unit of the Aam Aadmi Party carried out a protest march elsewhere in the city.

The state's ruling Biju Janata Dal also opposed the rail fare hike terming the decision anti-poor.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the passenger fare hike across the board is going to affect passengers at large and will particularly affect poor people travelling in sleeper classes.

"Hike in freight charges will further aggravate inflation and lead to price rise affecting people at large. This is an anti-middle class and anti-poor people move," he 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.