The Centre’s move to allow private participation in passenger train operations on various routes across the country drew sharp criticism and protest from the CITU and other frontal organisations of the CPI (M) here.
Activists of the CPI (M) and its affiliated organisations staged a demonstration in front of the railway station in the town on Friday condemning the bidding process reportedly initiated by the Centre to allow private companies operate passenger trains on 109 routes with 150 modern trains.
Leading the protest, CPI (M) State secretariat member P. Sudarshan Rao flayed the privatisation move terming it as an “onslaught” on the transport lifeline of the common man.
Even as the entire country is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, the BJP-led Central government unleashed a vigorous privatisation spree to open the coal, public transport, space, insurance, electricity and various other key sectors for private participation, he charged.
The Centre’s privatisation drive will pose a serious threat to the livelihoods of lakhs of poor people dependent on the Indian Railways and job security of the employees of the national transporter, he alleged.
“The detrimental decision will eventually lead to job losses, hefty hike in rail fares,” Mr. Rao flayed, criticising the BJP dispensation at the Centre for allowing more foreign direct investments (FDIs) in vital sectors like defence.
“Those projecting themselves as real patriots are undermining the interests of the nation and trying to mortgage the public assets to foreign-backed private players,” Mr. Rao alleged, calling upon people to fight against the Centre’s policies of “privatisation and FDIs” to safeguard the national assets and protect the country.
CPI (M) district secretary N. Nageswara Rao, State committee member P. Venkateswara Rao, former Khammam municipal chairperson Afroz Sameena, and others took part in the protest.
