Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu has demanded withdrawal of the hike in the RTC bus fares immediately.
In a press release here on Sunday, the leader of the opposition said that the RTC was incurring losses to the tune of crores of rupees and almost became bankrupt because of government’s inefficiency.
When the organisation was in the red, the government was supposed to rescue it but it was instead putting the burden on people by increasing the fares, he said and asked the government to exempt the corporation from paying VAT on diesel.
The government is collecting 22.5 percent tax on the diesel purchased by RTC.
He alleged that it was the fourth time the Congress government had increased RTC fares since 2004.
Besides hiking the fares, the corporation was looting passengers by charging a premium during festivals and weekends, he said.
Turning his attack on the Centre, he said the UPA government was increasing the prices of gas and diesel on one side and withdrawing subsidies on the other in the name of reforms. He warned the state government that his party would launch a massive agitation if it did not withdraw the bus fare hike.