By IANS,
Chennai : Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly and DMDK chief A. Vijayakant will hold a fast between 8 a.m and 5 p.m Thursday to demand a rollback of the steep price hikes in bus fares and milk imposed by the AIADMK government.
In a statement issued here, the actor-turned-politician said: “The AIADMK government unexpectedly steeply hiked the milk prices and bus fares, shocking the poor and the middle class. Their cost of living has nearly doubled because of the hikes.”
Referring to Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s argument that the hike was necessitated to safeguard the state government undertakings, Vijayakant said: “Like the concern for restructuring the government undertakings, the chief minister too should take into account the plight of poor and the middle class who are not able to balance their family budget.”
Demanding a change of heart on the part of the government in respect of price hike, Vijayakant said he would go on fast at the DMDK headquarters while at the districts, party officials would hold fast outside the collectorates.
On Nov 17, Jayalalithaa announced the decision of her government to increase the milk prices, bus fares and the proposal to revise upwards the power tariff as well.
The minimum bus fares have been increased by a rupee to Rs.3 and the maximum by Rs.5 to Rs.12 across the state other than Chennai. In the state capital, the maximum bus fare has gone up by Rs.2 to Rs.14.
The price of milk has gone up by Rs.6.25 per litre to Rs.24. The milk procurement prices have also been increased by Rs.2 per litre.