[Marxistindia] Protest Petrol/Diesel Price Hike

[news from the cpi(m)]

June 1, 2016

 

Press Statement

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the
following statement:

 

Protest Petrol/Diesel Price Hike

 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the hike in the prices of
petrol and diesel once again in a span of a fortnight. The price of petrol
has been increased by Rs. 2.5 and diesel Rs. 2.26 per litre.  This is the
19th such hike in the prices of diesel and 16th such hike in the price of
petrol since the Modi government came into office.

 

This increased burden on the people is being imposed at a time when this BJP
government has indulged in an extravagant celebration of its two years of
existence. People are being forced to pay the burden for this wasteful
expenditure. 

 

At a time when the agrarian distress is deepening, this huge hike in price
of diesel is bound to worsen the crisis. Diesel is the staple fuel used for
drawing ground water from tubewells. When major parts of the country are
reeling under the impact of a drought and lack of drinking water, this hike
will only worsen people's livelihood threatening their existence. 

 

The government is earning profits through regular hikes in the duties of
petroleum products. When petroleum products were deregulated the country was
told by this government that the taxes would be reduced to zero. While the
oil companies pay Rs. 25.31 per litre of petrol, people pay Rs. 65.60 for
the same litre. The difference is reaped by the central government as its
revenue. There have been five successive hikes in the excise duties in the
past two years. This is unacceptable. The government cannot finance itself
by burdening the people while continuing to give tax concessions to the
rich.

 

The P.B. of the CPI(M) calls upon all its units to protest against this hike
and imposition of unprecedented economic burdens on the people. 

 

 

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