Chandigarh, December 19
City Youth Congress president Manoj Lubana’s fast unto death in protest against the pick-up and drop-off system at the city railway station entered its third day today.
Lubana is protesting against the high charges people have to pay due to the system. The party has put up a tent outside the station, where Lubana has been spending his night as well.
Strike to continue
We have been protesting democratically for the last several days, but they are not ready to listen to our demands. Until this toll barrier is not removed from the railway station, the hunger strike will continue. —Manoj Lubana, President, Chandigarh youth Congress
“The Youth Congress has been demanding that the entry tax to the railway station should stop. Suffering of people and our protest do not seem to have made any effect on the government or the railway department,” said the Youth Congress leader.
He alleged, “The Modi government has become arrogant and dictatorial. It does not understand the problems of people and works only with the intention of exploiting them. We have been protesting democratically for the last several days, but they are not ready to listen to our demands. Until this toll barrier is not removed from the railway station, the hunger strike will continue.”
Youth Congress workers Deepa Duba, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Kumar, Navdeep Singh, Pradeep Kumar Vakil Khan, Umesh Jappi, Manzoor Khan, Harman Jassar, Pramod and Karamjeet are among those protesting against the system.
Under the pick-up and drop-off system, there is a six-minute free window. Later, one has to shell out Rs 50 upto 15 minutes. If the vehicle does not exit the railway premises in 15 minutes, one has to pay Rs 200. Many people remain stuck due to long queues of vehicles, making it nearly impossible for them to enter and exit in six minutes.
