SHILLONG: The president of Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC), Richard Marak has criticized the BJP led NDA government for the soaring prices of essential commodities caused by the rise in the price of petroleum products.
After the protest rally held in Tura on Thursday, Marak said that the essential commodities like vegetables, dal, onion, milk, and other grocery items are going beyond the reach of the common people due to the hike in petroleum products.
Referring to the increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG, he said in the past 3 years, fuel prices have increased several times not because of increasing crude prices, which have been falling, but due to the increase in taxes by the BJP led NDA government.
Marak hit out at the Central government that has been consistently carrying out hiking excise and other levies to increase its tax kitty.
Demanding the roll-back of central excise taxes on petrol and diesel, he said, “India is under dictatorship. The BJP led NDA government is exploiting the people of India through taxes. Meghalaya Youth Congress demands immediate roll back of central excise duties and taxes on petrol and diesel.”
“We are not convinced by the BJP government’s rhetoric that high tax on petroleum products is important for government funds to build infrastructure for the poor “ he added.
Lambasting at the NDA government for daylight robbery, he said that the common people are being looted through demonetization disaster, failed GST implementation and through huge tax components on petroleum products.
Marak also questioned the attitude of Tura MP, Conrad Sangma from Nationalist People’s Party (NPP), an ally of NDA government, in connection with the issue.
