By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: It is not even one month the hopeful people who voted for a change towards ‘achche din’ have started to feel the heat. People, especially in Assam seem unhappy with the course of action since the Narendra Modi government has taken the oath on May 26. If Modi’s green signal to dams in Bhutan has raised many eye brows in the state, his proposal to let Bangladeshi nations in India without visa doubled the anger. It is one of those moments when sweet turned into sour.
Now, it’s the hiked railway fare. “This is not what we had expected from Modi government. We thought the new government will take special attention in price hike but this will effect in all the prices of essential commodities. This is a serious matter of concern for the middle class people of the country,” said Rajesh Kumar, a Guwahati based businessman.
Archival Photo for illustration purpose
According to the government, the decision to raise passenger fares by 14.2% and freight charges by 6.5% effective June 25 will help Indian Railways raise an additional Rs 8,000 crore in the financial year.
But the common people are not happy with the development. “This means there is no difference between the UPA and the NDA government. I want to ask our new Prime Minister Modi that where are the promises to better the lives of common people,” said Brojen Kalita, who frequently travels in train to different parts of the country.
Earlier, the people of the state were offended with the act of Narendra Modi when he laid the foundation to the 600 MW Kholongchu hydro-electric project, a joint-venture between India and Bhutan during his visit to the neighbouring country recently.
“Modi had spoken against the big dams in the region during his election campaigning in Assam and other parts of the North-East region. The same person after becoming the PM laid the foundation stone of Kholongchu hydro-electric project, which will bring devastation to Assam,” Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) general secretary Durgadas Bodo said.
Azad Ali, an anti-dam activist from lower Assam said that the all the promises made by the PM Modi before election were futile. Ali also slammed the new government to neglect the causes of the northeast.
“The PM should have considered that the dam of 60 MW Kurichu Hydel Project in Bhutan had caused massive devastation in five districts of Assam in 2004 and in 2007. If the 60 MW power project can cause such devastation, one can imagine what kind of devastation will be created by the 600 MW project. It is unfortunate for the people of Assam that Modi has laid the foundation stone of such a large power project which will impact Assam,” Ali said who has been opposing the dams since 2004.
All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) had also demanded a White Paper from the Centre on the Kholongchu Hydro Power Project besides opposing Modi’s proposal to let Bangladeshi nationals who are below 18 and above 65 years without visa in India.
Assam’s leading farmers’ body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) had also opposed the move of the Centre to help the Bhutanese Government to construct a 600-MW hydel project.
Altogether, people from various walks of life have expressed their displeasure at the development so far at the centre.