Former Cong MP condemns hike in rail fare

Former Congress MP Madan Lal Sharma on Sunday expressed concerns over the recent hike in the prices of essential commodities and railway fares.

Former Congress MP Madan Lal Sharma on Sunday expressed concerns over the recent hike in the prices of essential commodities and railway fares.

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At a workers' meeting in Samba, Sharma said during the Lok Sabha election campaigns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said: "Maa Bete ki sarkar Jayegi tu Mehgayi Khatam ho jayegi, Acche din aane wale hai" (if mother and son's government will go then only will there be relief from price rise, good days are about to come).

Demanding a roll back of railway fares, Sharma said the central government had failed to take measures to make essential commodities affordable and had instead increased their prices.

The former MP said the central government should provide state subjects to the West Pak Refugees and a one-time settlement for refugees of 1947, 65, 71. He stated that the central government should declare the international border (IB) line and upper belts of Samba as reserved backward areas (RBA).

He added that the government should implement welfare schemes meant for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and Other Backward Classes (OBC) in letter and spirit, and pass a resolution in the assembly to include Jats under the OBC category.