AAP protests at Delhi Metro stations against fare hike

New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS)    The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday protested outside nearly 60 stations of the Delhi Metro, raising slogans against the recent fare hike.

The party, which is in power in Delhi, sees a collusion between the central government and the Delhi Metro for effecting the fare hike, so as to help app-based private cab companies make profits, it said.

It had announced the "Metro Kiraya Satyagrah" on Tuesday against the Delhi Metro for its decision to increase the fares which, it said, had disturbed the common man's monthly budget.

In a statement, AAP leader Gopal Rai said the hike was done at the behest of the Centre -- the Urban Development Ministry, which oversees the Delhi Metro.

"When the Centre justified the hike citing losses, the Delhi government even proposed contributing Rs 15,000 crore annually, but the Centre is not ready to pay its share. This has resulted in the fare hike," Rai, who led a protest at the Vishwavidyalya Metro Station, was quoted as saying in the statement.