SHILLONG: AICC General Secretary in charge Meghalaya Luizinho Faleiro has alleged that petrol price in the country has gone up by as much as 200 percent under the NDA government.
Addressing a press conference here after holding a march in the city to protest against the price rise, Faleiro said even prices of diesel have increased by more than 400 percent.
“When we were in power, the price of petrol per barrel was from $107-170 and we sold the petrol at Rs 71 and today when the price of petrol is $73 per barrel, the prices of petrol and diesel are the highest,” he said.
Price of petrol in Shillong on Monday was Rs 80, in Guwahati Rs 83.2, in Kolkata Rs 83.7 and in Delhi Rs 80.82.
“The Centre is exporting petrol to foreign countries at a cheaper rate while the petroleum product within the country is being sold at such a high price,” Faleiro said.
Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi-led government, over demonetisation, Rafale scam and falling rupee, he directed the Congress in the state to raise issues of teachers and farmers. Alluding to the rising cases of lynching and communalism, Faleiro said the culture of hatred, vengeance and intolerance “is the primary agenda of the Centre”.
Leader of the Opposition Mukul Sangma said the spirit of democracy “is under threat in the country” and the Congress would continue to fight against the anti-people agenda of the government.
Earlier, members of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee joined in the protest and marched from Police Bazaar point to Congress Bhavan. The Congress’s Bharat Bandh on Monday received lukewarm response in other parts of the country.
The bandh did not have any impact in Shillong and all the commercial establishments and public transport service functioned normally. Schools, colleges and offices, both government and private, were also open.
