Congress party in Manipur on Monday staged a protest against the rising fuel prices and demanded immediate rollback of the hike.
The protest staged in front of the Malom Oil Depot in Imphal West district was organised by the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) in association with National Students’ Union of India (NSUI of Manipur unit, Manipur Pradesh youth Congress Committee, Seva Dal of the MPCC, etc.
“We condemn the price hike in petrol, diesel and cooking gas”, “Down, down anti-people economy policy of BJP government”, Modi’s achhe din becomes a burden for all (India)”, read some of the placards displayed during the protest.
Talking to reporters at the protest site, Manipur Youth Congress general secretary, Sharungbam Johni Meitei alleged that the BJP government at the Centre is “looting” poor people by hiking the price of diesel, petrol and cooking gas. He demanded the government to roll back the incessant hike in fuel prices amid the coronavirus crisis, while alleging that it has added another burden on the heads of the common people who are already suffering a lot due to the COVID-19 lockdown. He further said that BJP government’s “anti-people policy” and uncontrolled hike in the prices of essential commodities compelled Congress workers to come out on the streets to stage protests.
NSUI Manipur president, P Bangkimchandra alleged that even as the prices of crude oil in the international market have come down, the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas are increasing in the country. He alleged that the Centre had been earning huge profits by increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel, even though international crude oil prices are at a low.
He then said that the government had deliberately kept the price high by increasing excise duty.
Students are also directly hit by the fuel price hike, he said, adding that passenger fares have been skyrocketed due to the hike in the prices of diesel.
NNN
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