SHILLONG: Members of the Shillong City Youth Congress and the Mahila Congress Committee protested against the increasing prices of petrol and diesel, which is straining the economy and affecting livelihood of the hoi polloi, on Saturday.
The protest was held in the presence of PT Sawkmie, vice president of the Shillong City Congress Committee.
The Congress has maintained that despite international crude oil prices decreasing by more than 52 per cent since the BJP-led NDA government came to power on May 26, 2014, petrol and diesel prices have skyrocketed to a three-year high.
The Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of “looting” the common people and “profiting” at their expense, and warned that the party would continue the fight “till the draconian taxation regime” was withdrawn.
The party in its statement said BJP, when it was in the opposition, demonstrated against hike in petrol and diesel prices when global prices were high during the Congress-led UPA government.
“But now when the crude oil price was at the lowest, the fuel price is at the highest. This is daylight robbery,” it added.
“We are not convinced by the BJP government rhetoric that high tax on petroleum products is important for Government funds for poor and infrastructure,” the party said.
