the goan I network
MARGAO
Congress leaders and workers hit the roads in the commercial capital on Monday to protest against the soaring fuel prices, even as the Goa unit of the Congress did not observe the all-India bandh call given by the party at the Centre.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat demanded a roll back in the prices of fuel and provide relief to the common man, who is feeling the pain and the pinch. The Margao MLA, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar, District Congress President Joe Dias, Mahila Congress chief Pratima Coutinho along with a large number of workers descended on the city petrol pumps and distributed pamphlets comparing the fuel prices during the Congress and BJP regimes.
Kamat told the media that the prices of petrol and diesel have increased manifold in the country during the last four years during the NDA rule as compared to the UPA regime. “The international prices of crude oil have fallen drastically over the last four years, but the prices of petrol and diesel have not come down in the country. On the contrary, the fuel prices have gone up and have hit an all-time high during the BJP regime,” Kamat said, adding that since the Goa unit of the Congress is not observing the bandh, the party has organized awareness programmes at all the petrol pumps in the State.
Kamat said even the oil companies and dealers have complained of slowdown in their businesses in view of the soaring prices.
In his address, GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar said the BJP government has created history in the country with soaring fuel prices. “The soaring prices of fuel in the country has had a cascading effect on the economy, creating inflationary trends,” he said, adding that the common man has been the most hit.
South Goa District President Joe Dias said that government should consider roll back in the excise duty on fuel and added that the 17 percent excise duty has also contributed to the fuel price hike.
MAPUSA: Speaking to reporters, North Goa Congress President Vijay Bhike said crude oil, which was priced at $134.8 per barrel in 2014, had now dropped to $66.6 a barrel.
“Despite this, fuel prices in the nation continue to skyrocket when there is a low price for crude oil in the international market. Rising fuel prices has affected inflation and people from Goa as well as other States are suffering due to inflation,” alleged Bhike.
“In order to draw attention of the central government on rising inflation, the Congress held a demonstration and government should immediately lower fuel prices,” he demanded.
Others present during the demonstration included Mapusa Block Congress President Mithali Gadekar, party workers Heston Santamaria, Chandan Mandrekar, Amin Naik and Naushad Chaudhary.
VASCO: In Vasco, Congress block President Saifullah Khan said, “The BJP government is not pro-people and the rising cost of essential commodities has caused hardship to poor citizens.”
“Since 2014, the BJP government had hiked excise duty on petrol by 211.7 % and diesel by 443.06 % and the government had collected Rs 11 lakh crore by way of excise duty.”
“When the Congress was in power, the BJP workers had come on the roads and were criticising the government. But today, prices have soared like anything but the BJP government is in power has maintained stoic silence.”
“Today, LPG, gas, pulses, sugar and fuel have increased manifold,” Khan said.
Former MMC Chairperson Sharad (Nitin) Chopdekar said after GST collection, the government had more money, but prices of essential commodities had not decreased.
Ularico Rodrigues said people needed to know the reason for hike in price of fuel prices despite crude oil rates going down in the international market.
“Today, pulses and vegetables have also shot up due to rising fuel and transportation costs,” said Rodrigues.
