Private bus operators demand 15 per cent fare hike in Karnataka
Udupi (Karnataka), April 8 (PTI): The Private Bus Operators’ Association in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts demanded a 15 per cent hike in fares for private buses operating across all sectors, including national highway routes.
Association President Kuilady Suresh Nayak said here on Tuesday that they have written to the State Transport Department regarding the demand.
According to him, following the recent diesel price hike by the state government, private bus operators have been incurring losses on all routes in the two coastal districts.
"The recent diesel price hike by the state government has had a cascading effect on bus operators, particularly private ones," Nayak said.
On April 1, the Karnataka government increased the sales tax on diesel to 21.17 per cent, effective from Tuesday.
As a result, diesel prices have risen by Rs 2 per litre, bringing the retail price to Rs 91.02.
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MP Saket Gokhale slams Modi government over Pahalgam terror attack, demands accountability
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale has launched a scathing attack on the Union Government over its handling of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left over 26 civilians dead. In a strongly-worded social media post, Gokhale questioned the absence of government accountability and criticised the mainstream media for allegedly suppressing the issue while promoting a communal narrative.
"The events of the last two days have been shocking and unacceptable," Gokhale wrote. "How long will we allow the government to get away with zero accountability while the media hides its failures and pushes a communal agenda?"
Expressing condolences to the families of the victims, Gokhale described the attack as a "ghastly terrorist incident" and said the nation's thoughts and prayers were with those affected. However, he was quick to call out what he described as a "complete failure" of the government's security apparatus.
"For years, the Modi government kept boasting that 'everything is normal' in J&K," Gokhale stated, recalling repeated declarations in Parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about normalcy in the Valley. He also criticised the focus on showcasing Kashmir to international delegations, claiming it came at the cost of genuine internal security.
"Did Indian tourists not deserve the same level of security as foreign dignitaries?" he asked.
The MP noted that in the 48 hours since the attack, there had been no honest admission of an intelligence failure by the government. He also targeted mainstream media outlets, accusing them of failing to ask tough questions and instead shielding the government from scrutiny.
"Not a single legacy media house has raised any questions on what happened. How long will the BJP and the media belittle the deaths of innocent Indians to protect the Modi government?" Gokhale asked.
He further criticised Home Minister Amit Shah for not issuing a public apology or taking responsibility for the security lapse.
While expressing confidence in the Indian Armed Forces to bring the perpetrators to justice, Gokhale warned against the politicisation of the tragedy. "The BJP has become active using this tragedy for inciting communal hate. How low can a political party go when fellow Indians have lost their lives?" he said.
He concluded with a demand for basic accountability, stating, "The least that Modi and Shah can do is apologise for the failure that led to this attack. It's the job of the media to demand that. Because, remember, they will be the first ones to shamelessly claim credit when our Armed Forces neutralize the attackers."
