SHILLONG, Feb 8: The vendors of Iewduh have joined the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles’ Association (MJACCVA) in its protest against the rocketing prices of petrol and diesel.
The indefinite strike called by the association demanding revision of passenger fares and reduction of taxes by 50% has affected normal life, particularly in the capital city with 25,000 commercial vehicles remaining off the road.
After pleas to call off the strike went unheeded, the state government went on damage control mode and offered a rebate of Rs 2 per litre in the prices of petrol and diesel from February 8.
But this did not go down well with the JACCV, whose members staged a protest on Monday at Motphran parking lot terming the government’s move as an attempt to fool the commercial vehicle operators.
“If the government doesn’t come up with a better solution we will continue with our indefinite strike even for more than a month too,” MJACCVA chairman Wandonbok Jyrwa said.
Apart from the Iewduh vendors, members of pressure groups such as HANM and HNYF joined the protest.
Victoria Marwein, a shopkeeper from Iewduh, said the state government should hear the voices of the people when needed and not just go to them when they need votes.
North Shillong MLA and KHNAM legislator, Adelbert Nongrum also showed up at the protest and requested the state government to act towards solving the problems of the people by reducing fuel prices to a reasonable amount.
The indefinite strike called by the commercial vehicle operators entered the fifth day on Monday and its impact was apparent at various pick-up and dropping points in the state.
Meanwhile, Opposition Chief Whip PT Sawkmie said the onus of responding to the fuel price rebate was on the commercial drivers.
“If they are unhappy, we as the Opposition would ask the government again to offer a higher rebate,” Sawkmie said.
Slamming the oil companies for increasing the prices of fuel, he said oil firms were overstepping their authority and even bypassing the Centre while increasing the prices.
“It seems the oil companies are not respecting the central government,” Sawkmie said while urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately intervene in the matter and reduce the sufferings of the common people.
Questioning the silence of the Prime Minister on fuel price rise, he said the increasing price of petrol has taken a toll on everyone, forcing the cabbies to hit the streets in protest.
Former MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit too slammed the state government over the rising prices of petrol in the state.
“The decision of the state government to impose tax on fuel is an anti-people policy which impacts on the life of the common man, especially the poor and the downtrodden,” Basaiawmoit said, adding that the reduction in fuel tax by Rs 2 was too little too late and an eyewash.
According to Basaiawmoit, if the government was serious about reducing the burden of the common people, it could have taken a number of steps.
“First, to prevent unnecessary expenditure and wastage of public funds, the government should do away with all political appointees that include chairman, co-chairmen, vice chairmen in various boards and corporations and also political advisers. Secondly, the state government should stop all leakages in revenue collection,” he said.
He also said the failure of the state government in stopping illegal transportation of coal has seriously dented revenue collection.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee has asked the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to roll back the price of petroleum products.
In a statement issued on Monday, MPCC working president, James S Lyngdoh said that the Centre should immediately roll back the price of petroleum products to mitigate the genuine demands of all sections of stakeholders.
Extending its full support to the ongoing strike called by the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles (MJACCV), the MPCC also asked the Meghalaya government to take up the issue with the central government for immediate roll back of fuel prices.
It also observed that a mere reduction of Rs 2 in the price by the government is of no consequence.
The Mawkyrwat Local Taxi Association (MLTA) and the All Jaintia Tourist and Commercial Vehicles Association (AJTCVA) have also rejected the rebate of Rs 2 offered by the government and have decided to continue with the ongoing strike.
As a mark of protest the MLTA will hold a sit-in demonstration at the South West Khasi Hills DC’s office junction at 1 pm on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the AJTCVA has decided to actively participate in the strike spearheaded by the Meghalaya Tourist and Commercial Vehicles Association from Monday midnight.