MARGAO: The Congress party on Friday strongly criticised the BJP government and the Margao MLA in particular for their new mode of looting the common man.
At a protest held at the toll booth of the Margao railway station, Congress leader Savio Coutinho came down heavily on the Margao MLA and charged him with promoting benami deals which are used to loot people.
The 'Passenger Tax' issue
Coutinho informed the media present that a contract has supposedly been given to some Umiya Enterprises for collection of parking fees, however, some BJP functionaries are collecting what they say as “passenger tax” from every vehicle that enters the station compound. He even furnished receipts issued by the collectors, which doesn’t match with the contractor so appointed
Demand to cease collection at entry/exit points
Demanding that the collection at the entry or exit be immediately stopped, Coutinho stated that hardly any train runs on time, and in the event of delays, the relatives of the passengers are stuck up at the station, be it to drop a passenger or pick up a passenger.
Sameer Shaikh stated that for the last 3 days whenever he came to drop the guests at the station he was charged ₹20 inspite of leaving the station compound in less than 5 minutes. When we questioned them, they said it was “passenger tax”, he informed.
