Jammu:
The Congress’ Jammu and Kashmir unit on Thursday slammed the government over the rise in petrol and diesel prices, saying it was “profiteering off” people’s misery.
Members of the party, led by senior leader Raman Bhalla, also took out a march from the Maheshpura Chowk to ‘gherao’ the civil secretariat here against the hike in the fuels’ prices but were stopped by police.
Bhalla demanded that the BJP government provide immediate relief to people from the rising prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
The government is “profiteering” off “people’s misery”, he alleged and demanded reducing the prices by partially rolling back excise duty.
The truth is that as GDP “nosedives”, the prices of gas, diesel and petrol continue to rise unchecked, Bhalla said.
He also said that governments are elected to ease the burden of people and at the very least, not work directly contrary to their interests.
“Petrol and diesel prices have been rising relentlessly and all the BJP’s luminaries who had protested vociferously and wittily about oil prices during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) rule are now silent,” he said.
Bhalla said they are seeking to explain how it is not the Centre’s fault that fuel prices are rising and are attributing it to increase in crude prices.
They are citing how the rupee is falling against the dollar or how increased excise duties on petrol and diesel are helping social programmes and infrastructure development, he said.
“The way petrol, diesel and gas prices have increased is appalling. Gas cylinders now cost Rs 900 per unit. Kerosene oil is unavailable,” Bhalla said.
He alleged that the government was looting citizens, and asked “what were the prices when the Modi government came to power?”
“What are the prices now? Billions of ordinary families across the country are shocked to see the price of cooking gas for domestic and commercial use. In the absence of external pressures, what is the rationale behind such an increase in LPG prices,” Bhalla said.
“This has been baffling for housewives. Cooking gas is also dearer as petrol and diesel prices continue to rise, thus people are being squeezed by the government for money,” the Congress leader said.
He said by increasing the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders again, the Modi government has made it clear that it was not concerned about the problems of the common people.
