| News Details |
| Our struggle for restoration of statehood continue - Mula Ram | | Inflation has broken common man’s backbone but govt mum - Bhalla |
Jammu, March 27 (Scoop News)-J&K Congress on Saturday continued protest demonstration at Patta Bohri, Jammu against the BJP government for hike in fuel prices all over India. Th Srinagar, Jammu, March 27 (Scoop News)-
e protest was organized by Chairman Unorganized Workers Cell of JKPCC Rajvir Singh and led by Former Ministers & JKPCC Vice Presidents Mulla Ram, Raman Bhalla, Kanta Bhan, JKPCC Chief Spokesman Ravinder Sharma, General Secretaries Th. Balwan Singh, Manmohan Singh, District Jammu Rural President Hari Singh Chib and joined by hundreds of party workers. The protesters held placards and raised slogans against the government in a bid to raise their voice against hike in petrol and diesel prices. They demanded an immediate cut in taxes to ease the burden on the common man.
The protesters while heading towards Governor House were stopped by heavy deployment of Police. Prominent among those present on the occasion include Gurdarshan Singh, NSUI President Sunny Parihar, Suresh Dogra, Dr. Ramankant Khajuria, Rajinder Jamwal, Ashok Bhagat, Bittu Rampal, Chaman Bhagat, Rajinder Happy, Sahil Sharma, Sanjeev Panda, Rajesh Sharma, Varinder Chib, Kewal Krishan Yogi, Sonu Sharma, Sushma Samyal, Shama Kumar, Sarishta Devi, Gurmeet Singh, Atul Sharma, Arun Sharma, Bharat Sharma, Chandershaker Sharma, Yougal Sharma beside others.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Mula Ram said that we will continue to fight for the restoration of statehood with protection to land and jobs to youth of Jammu and Kashmir apart from other burning issues like unemployment, price hike. He said that unprecedented hike in petrol, gas and diesel is due to unprecedented taxes and duties imposed by the Modi government leading to unbearable price rise on all commodities of common use. The middle income households, particularly at the higher income levels, have suffered much more, because they had a lot more to lose. Then there is the question of direct and indirect taxes and the point that governments should tax incomes and not consumption because the rich end up paying too little while the working class ends up paying a disproportionately high level of taxes even on items of daily use. This is how this government has been killing growth whenever the economy has shown any signs of recovery. The taxman shows up to collect the nectar even before the flower blossoms. With rising fuel price the transporters have no alternative but to increase their freight rates which increases the inflation and ultimately affects the common people, added former Minister .
Shri Raman Bhalla in his address said that price rise has broken the common man's backbone while those in power were busy talking big. He said that there was a rise in the price of pulses, LPG and other commodities but the BJP Govt is silent on the issue. "Modi is talking big but not concerned about the plight of the common man whose backbone has been broken due to price rise," he alleged. He claimed that the Modi government was losing trust of the people. When prices increased during the Congress rule, hue and cry was raised by the BJP, but today the NDA government is doing nothing to provide succor to the people, he alleged. Bhalla said that at a time when the economy is reeling under the impact of the pandemic, the Modi government is looking to fill its coffers. He said despite the prices of crude oil coming down, the government “has broken all records of profiteering by exorbitantly raising excise duty”. Meanwhile, former Minister also took a dig at the Centre over rising prices of LPG cylinders in the country and said that the Modi government's options for the public are - "close the business, burn stove and eat 'jumla' (false promise).
The Congress leader slammed BJP representatives for ignoring genuine and basic issues of common man who is moving from pillar to post for the redressal of their genuine grievances. He said that soaring prices of essentials and other items have badly affected the common people in J&K. He demanded that the rates of the common use items should be reduced and more job opportunities may be provided to the unemployed. The soaring prices of essentials and other items have badly affected the common people in the State. The prices of vegetables and other food items have reached an unprecedented high, making impossible for the common people to prepare their monthly budget, he added. India is at a crossroads for the first time in its history and an autocratic and insensitive government is bent on imposing hardships on the poor, farmers and the middle class, Bhalla said attacking the BJP government over the increase in prices of essential items. He demanded that the government slash the rates of excise duty on petrol and diesel.
Former Minister remarked that the hike in fuel prices has affected the purchasing power of citizens. “The Narendra Modi government has broken the spine of the common man by increasing the taxes on petrol/diesel. Excise duty currently levied on petrol is Rs 32.98 and Rs 31.83 on each litre of petrol and diesel respectively. At the end of UPA-II, excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.21 and Rs 3.45 per litre, respectively,” he stated. Senior Congress leader said petrol prices should have dropped with the dip in crude oil price but prices rose multiple times instead. “In 2014, crude oil price per barrel in the international market was Rs 6,794 but now it is just Rs 4,008. Who is responsible for this?” he said. Further, criticizing the Centre’s move to privatize public sector banks and other industries, he added, “Such sectors that provided employment to lakhs of people are being sold to corporate houses. Even Railways, the transport backbone of the poor, is gradually being privatized, which would result in severe unemployment and economic crisis.”
The country has not recovered from the painful effects of lockdown and the pandemic; people have been further jolted by the unprecedented price rise of all essential commodities and severe loss of income. The BJP-led central government has failed to control price rise in the country,” Bhalla said.Citing the hike of LPG price from Rs 600 to Rs 895 in the past three months, he highlighted that poor people were bearing the brunt of inflation that followed the same. “Post-lockdown, workers, peasants and the middle class have lost income. The government continues to say they don’t have funds to aid them, but the same government has written off corporate loans nearly worth Rs 2 lakh crore,” he said. Our farmers and unemployed youth, as well as those working in the unorganised sector, have been forced to resort to strikes and protest to oppose the anti-people policies of the Central government to save their existence.
JKPCC Chief Spokesman Ravinder Sharma slammed the Centre over fuel prices touching an "all-time high" and demanded that the excise duty hike affected by the Modi government during its tenure be immediately rolled back to give relief to the masses. He attacked the Centre over the rise in fuel prices, saying people are suffering due to inflation while the Modi government is busy in tax collection. Our jawans' dearness allowance is being cut, our MSMEs are under pressure from banks to repay loans, under pressure from taxation authorities, there is huge unemployment across the country. Central government must immediately withdraw the central excise duty hike that it has charged in the last over six years and the petrol prices should come down to Rs 61.92 and diesel to Rs 47.51," he said, hitting out at the government over the fuel prices touching an "all-time high". The Modi-Shah government has looted the people by increasing excise duties and huge taxes on petroleum products and did not bring this under GST despite the consistent demand of Congress," he said.
JKPCC General Secretary Manmohan Singh speaking on the occasion, said that the Government is insensitive to the sufferings of the people and not listening to different agitating sections including farmers and poor people. He said BJP Govt failed to take care of the genuine issues amidst Covid-19 pandemic. He referred to numerous hardships faced by the people under BJP regime. He said that Congress would continue to hit the streets against the wrong policies of the Modi Government, especially fleecing of the people in garb of huge taxes. Singh referred to the various anti-people decisions of the BJP Government and the unprecedented hike in petrol, diesel and LPG prices. He demanded roll back of excise duty and other taxes to give relief to the people.
Smt. Kanta Bhan said the Month-long protest throughout the country is an attempt “to awaken the government to the hardships of people”. The prices of diesel and petrol have increased the burden on people. The BJP government has also increased transport tariff by 19% in J&K. No money is percolating down to the middle class or poor people. No financial relief is provided to the public. As a result, the local consumers are suffering on a daily basis.” she said."The so-called 'double-engine' BJP governments are fooling the people of the country," she said. "The BJP government is mercilessly looting the public with hiked fuel prices, especially amid a pandemic. Why is this hike when international crude oil prices are low?" she asked.
JKPCC General Secretary Bhalwan Singh maintained that his Party will continue to raise its voice in favour of the common man. They will continue with their protests till the time a decision is taken in these matters,” he said. BJP has betrayed the confidence of the common man, he added. Massive taxes on petroleum products are hurting household budgets and transportation costs are impacting the profitability of small businesses. What is worse that it comes at a time when the middle class is barely recovering from the impact of the Covid pandemic and we are threatened by a second wave of the pandemic. Unemployment figures had touched 23% during the pandemic and many continue to be out of jobs as the economy and the middle class was among those hit the hardest.
Hari Singh Chib speaking on the occasion termed increasing rates are like rubbing salt on the wounds of the common man, who have already suffered losses during the Covid-induced lockdown. He further said that be it the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre or LG Govt in J&K, they are least bothered about the common man. The three new farm laws, steep hike in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders clearly reflect that the ruling party has no sympathy for the common man.” He said that opposition by political parties, farmers, and even the common man has failed to make any impact on the ruling party at the Centre or in J&K.
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