Farmers Movement Archive

With 2nd hike in LPG price this month, Congress plans agitation

RANCHI: Continuing its ongoing stir against the BJP-led government at the Centre over the new farm laws, Congress, an alliance partner of the ruling coalition government in the state, is now planning to launch a protest against the hike in prices of essential commodities. On Monday, the LPG price was raised by Rs 50 per cylinder, the second hike this month after the increase of Rs 25 on February 4. Petrol and diesel prices are also nearing Rs 90 in the state. Congress spokesperson Alok Dubey said state party president Rameshwar Oraon will be in Hazaribag on Tuesday to take stock of the preparations for their February 20 state-level tractor rally against the farm laws. A meeting on the party’s protests against fuel price hike will be chalked out during the same meeting, Dubey informed. He said, “When the JMM-Congress-RJD coalition government in the state is trying to extend help to the public through its pro-people measures like farm-loan waivers and slash in civil services examination fees among others, the Union government is bent on making the lives of the common people difficult through its uncontrolled inflation.” Dubey further said different wings of the party are gearing up to hit the streets after the February 20 tractor rally to mobilize the public against the rising prices. “The protests are being planned both on social media and on the streets across the state to expose BJP government, whose sole priority is doubling the incomes of their capitalist friends rather than that of farmers, labourers and commoners,” he added. Another party spokesperson, Lal Kishorenath Shahdeo, questioned the continued silence of BJP MPs from Jharkhand against the price hike. He said, “In the whole of the Budget session recently, not one BJP MP from Jharkhand raised the issue of price rise, the subject which concerns the common man. Of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, 12 are represented by BJP.” He added, "The BJP MPs must become the people's voice before they are booted out by the voters. The saffron party often brags about distributing crores of LPG cylinders under the Ujwala Yojana to the poor but they will never tell that they have stopped refilling many of them after which such financially backward families have returned to the traditional way of cooking." Meanwhile, BJP MPs are trying to placate the common people by highlighting the salient features of this year's Union Budget. Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth on Monday conducted an awareness camp at BJP's office at Ratu road and hailed the Budget proposals as a stepping stone towards a self-reliant India. In Hazaribag, local MP Jayant Sinha called a press conference to laud the Budget. However, the public has started expressing their views against the price rise. Rashmi Sinha, a homemaker, said she is unable to maintain her kitchen properly because of the price hikes in the recent months. "People were expecting to get some relief after the job losses and salary cuts due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Instead of getting relief, we are hit harder by the hike in prices of essential commodities. I am finding it difficult to maintain even my kitchen now leave alone running my house properly,” she rued.

The Times of India

2021-02-16

Ranchi