The Manipur CPI on Friday launched a month-long agitation demanding a cut in excise tax imposed on petroleum products. The party urged the government to fix minimum prices of essential items and to include petroleum products under the purview of GST listed items.
The CPI raised the demands as a part of its month-long agitation which began on Friday at its office premises, Irawat Bhawan, Imphal.
Addressing the media at the sideline of the protest, CPI state secretary Laishram Sotinkumar Singh said that with the advent of BJP government, people have been experiencing only worse days despite the fact that it (BJP) had promised to bring better days.
Rather than thinking about the welfare of the common people, the BJP only focuses on promoting corporate groups, Sotinkumar alleged adding that it is clearly proven by the gradual privatisations of many public sectors.
He further condemned the BJP led government for not allowing to discuss the issues of price rise deliberately during the recent budget session even after the opposition had made the demand.
The CPI secretary said that BJP’s justification for the price rise on petroleum products with that of the Russia-Ukraine war is not acceptable.
While the war started on February 28, the prices of fuel have been consistently increasing just after election in five states starting March 22, he asserted.
Sontikumar alleged that the prices of petroleum products have been increased as a return to the corporate groups for their immense support to the BJP at the time of elections.
