The Manipur Communist Party of India (CPI) on Saturday observed “Anti-fuel price hike protest day” in Imphal, saying that fuel price hike is one of the many ways to “loot the public” and is a a violation of the rights of the people.
Addressing the observation function, CPI leader Sotinkumar stated that the fuel price has been hiked 13 times recently.
“This is one of the many ways to loot the public even when the global crude oil prices have been falling. Petrol is now costlier by Rs 80 per litre and diesel by a higher margin of Rs 60 per litre. Under the COVID-19 pandemic related lockdown, hiking the prices of petrol and diesel is nothing but a violation of the rights of the people,” he said.
Sotinkumar explained that hiking prices of petroleum products are dependent on crude oil prices. However, crude oil prices and products are fixed by oil marketing companies. The Union Ministry will announce rising prices of petroleum products but the prices of petroleum products are fixed by products owners, he pointed out.
The anti-fuel price hike protest was observed so as to demand re-introduction of administered price mechanism so that the people are protected from the unjust loot by oil marketing companies, Sotinkumar said. He urged the people to strongly protest against such anti-people moves of the government. The protest observation was attended by Surchandra, assistant secretary of CPI, Manipur and members of CPI, Manipur.
