Trade unions, Left move EC over Patna Sahib yatra

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 23

A state government’s decision to ply more than 300 buses to Patna Sahib in Bihar on 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh has hit a roadblock. Several trade unions and Left parties have filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against the populist measure.

In their complaint, the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) Workers’ Union, All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), SC and BC Union, and Retired Workers’ Bhaichara Manch have alleged that crores of rupees was being spent on such yatras to gain mileage ahead of the Assembly elections.

They said PRTC would be burdened with an expenditure of more than Rs 10 crore, which would deteriorate its financial health.

Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal, general secretary, PRTC Workers’ Union, said, “The state government is yet to release Rs 14 crore to the PRTC on account of yatras to religious shrines, including the Golden Temple, undertaken earlier.”

“It is easy to decipher why yatras have been started in the election year. The EC should take a note of it and stop loot of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

The government will be plying 100 PRTC buses to Patna Sahib. “The PRTC has been asked to pay for the stay and food of pilgrims for the 10-day yatra. It will cost around Rs 10 crore,” Dhaliwal added.

For 10 days, the PRTC fleet will have 100 buses less. This means inconvenience for the public and financial loss for the corporation.

The complainants have demanded that the EC should intervene and get the yatras stalled. If not, the government should pay for the yatras in advance.

Ravinder Singh, Managing Director, PRTC, claimed no such plan had been finalised yet.