Kerala Transport Minister C.P. John’s remark against women passengers who use KSRTC's Priyadarshini scheme – a brainchild of his own UDF government – may have kicked off a major row but he has refused to apologise for it and declared that he stands firm by what he said.
At the state conference of the Kerala Bus Transport Association in Palakkad, John had remarked that women avail the free bus rides to save money while paying huge fees to private schools to enrol their children.
"The rich pretend to be poor, and the poor pretend to be rich. Acting is no small feat," John had said. “What surprises me is how women who apparently cannot afford bus fares send their children to private schools, while classrooms in government schools remain empty.”
He had added that people’s choices in education, healthcare and transport reflected a "contradictory lifestyle". “When illness strikes, they bring their parents to government hospitals and end up lying on the verandas because they are afraid of the bills at private hospitals," he added.
John had also said the growing preference for KSRTC's free bus ride among homemakers was driven by economic hardship rather than loyalty to the state-run transport corporation. "It is because homemakers in our state do not have money in their hands."
‘I stand firm by what I said’
Despite widespread criticism against his remarks against women and low-income families, John refused to apologise, saying his remarks were intended to highlight poverty. “The foundation of the Priyadarshini scheme’s success lies in the severe hardship faced by the people of this land. It is this struggling populace that we need to address. They are the same people who don’t even have a place to lie down when admitted to hospitals,” he said.
He also tried to deflect the attention to the previous LDF government. “The approach taken by this government regarding public transport is a very positive approach, isn’t it? That should open our eyes. The previous government didn’t do this, right?”
He even tried to defend his remarks on parents opting for private schools despite financial struggles. “They have an aspiration to overcome the poverty they face by providing a better education.”
“You have the right to interpret it however you wish. Let it be interpreted; let controversies happen. I stand firm by what I said,” he told mediapersons in Kochi.
What is the Priyadarshini scheme?
The United Democratic Front government launched the ‘Keralam Priyadarshini Scheme’ to provide free bus travel facilities to women and transgender individuals across the state on designated ‘Priyadarshini Buses’. The scheme was part of the UDF's key election promises. It was formally launched by CM V.D. Satheesan on June 15, 2026.
After the introduction of the scheme, the daily average of women passengers increased from 5.5 lakh to 12.7 lakh, accounting for about 66 per cent of KSRTC’s total ridership.
According to government estimates, the Priyadarshini scheme costs the KSRTC around ₹60 crore every month, which leads to an annual revenue loss of approximately ₹710-720 crore. The Kerala government explored additional revenue sources, including advertising, to mitigate the revenue loss.
