Left Parties continue protest against price rise
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 19 2021:
The continuous rise of price of petroleum products despite a reduction in price of crude oil in the international market is done in the interest of big corporate houses.
Left Coordination Committee, Manipur said this in a statement issued today and added that the price of petrol and diesel have been raised for a record 21 times since May 4 while the price of crude oil has come down to just 77.24 $ per barrel.
In addition to this, the price of essential items including cooking oils, cooking gas has also reached an all time high, added the statement.
Such uncontrolled rise of price of essential items has added more woes to the public who are already suffering with all the restrictions and lockdowns impose -in light of the second wave of the pandemic, added the statement.
Left Coordination Committee, Manipur added that back in 2014 when the price of petrol had reached Rs 64.56 per litre, BJP had voiced fiercely against the Government back then, but what they didn't took into account is that the price of crude oil was 114 $ per barrel back then while it is just 77.24 $ now.
The rising price of petroleum products adversely affects agricultural activities and most of the farm machineries uses diesel, this will lead to rise in the price of agricultural produce in future, added the statement.
As a part of 15 day series of protests launched by the left parties against such uncontrolled rise in price of petroleum products and essential items from June 16, members of left parties staged a sit-in at Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal today.
Speaking at the sit-in, Ksh Shanta, secretary, CPI (M), Manipur said petrol and diesel can be made available to the public at Rs 65 per litre and Rs 50 per litre respectively if the Excise tax and VAT collected by Central and State Governments are reduced.