Mixed reaction to railway budget

Ahmedabad, Feb 26 (UNI) There was a mixed reaction to the Railway Budget presented today by Minister Lalu Prasad from political parties here, with opposition Congress lauding it and ruling BJP terming it as 'anti-poor'.

Welcoming the railway budget, Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki said the BJP-led NDA government had made railways a loss-making unit, but Congress-led UPA government, at the Centre, had turned it into profit-making entity. Mr Prasad had given good facilities and relief to the common man, he said.

Mr Solanki said the UPA government had not increased rates of railway fare. On the contrary, in some cases, the fares have been reduced. Women, children, students, senior citizens and coolies (porters) at the railway stations have been given commendable benifits.

BJP state chief Purshottam Rupala termed railway budget as not only anti-Gujarat but anti-poor and middle class people, saying the Railway Minister had totall the ignored demands of the people of Gujarat. The budget provides for 53 new trains in country, but Gujarat had not got any train except a one-day Ahmedabad-Mumbai train.

He said Mr Prasad was appeasing minorities by annoucing to take railway exams in Urdu and giving advertisement of vacanies in Railway Recruitment Board in Urdu press. This budget was election-oriented and did injustice to Gujarat.

UNI HT SSS SHB KP2016