What was the idea behind Mamata Banerjee’s shocker to UPA government as well as her own Minister Dinesh Trivedi? The Trinamool Congress Chief is said to be upset with Trivedi over his perceived closeness to Congress.
The second reason is that Mamata wants her populist image to spread far and wide. What better than asking her own Minister to roll back or quit? Dinesh Trivedi will have no other option but to resign at this stage.
The common man and the expert unanimously said that the proposed hike was nominal. The increase of 2 paise per kilometer after a gap of eight years is something that the passengers have no problem with. The initial reactions across the country clearly suggest that the budget on whole was forward-looking and did not put any burden on the traveler.
But Trinamool leaders, taking a hint from their leader, pounced on the proposal to effect a minimum hike in the fare. The Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien tweeted, “Railway Budget… what was all that about increasing fares across the board? Upper class… maybe ok… but all? Sorry, cannot agree.” Then, fellow TMC minister Sudip Bandopadhyay demanded that the hike be withdrawn. “We are opposing because of our party leader Mamata Banerjee who has taught us to protect interests of poor people. We have told Dinesh Trivedi to withdraw the hike. The party has not discussed anything with minister on the railway budget,” he said.
Sitaram Yechury of the Left says Ms Banerjee’s stand today is duplicitous. “The Rail Budget is cleared by the government of which Dinesh is a part then they ( TMC) go and protest,” he said.
