Telangana: CPI stages protest in Hyderabad against hike in fuel prices

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 19 (ANI): Workers of the Communist Party of India (CPI) took out a protest march over rising fuel prices in Hyderabad on Friday.
"Across the country, the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas have been rising day after day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government always blames the previous government for this hike. They say that the previous government has not taken proper care of petrol prices," CPI Telangana state secretary, Chada Venkat Reddy told ANI.
"I question the Centre, what have they done? Modi has been in power for the last seven years and what has he done? When the Centre said 'One Nation, One Tax', then why haven't they included petrol, diesel and cooking gas in Goods and Services Tax (GST)? In all the neighbouring countries, the prices are very affordable. Modi isn't working for the welfare and is working for wealthy corporates and oil companies," Reddy said.
"How can people use petrol, diesel and cooking gas when their prices go up every day. Not just fuels, but the prices of all essential commodities have been increased. So, I demand the Centre to wake up and get serious and take steps to reduce the prices of fuel and cooking gas," Venkat Reddy said.
Another CPI leader, Sayed Azeez Pasha told ANI, "Why has Modi-led NDA government excluded petrol prices from GST? Now, the public feels that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is working for all the wealthy oil companies and corporates. This will affect the common man of this country."
As the fuel prices continue their upward spiral, SC Mishra, former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on February 15 that the economic situation has improved since 2020 and the central government should have given a relief of Rs 12 per litre on petrol and Rs 14 per litre on diesel to the common man.
Mishra underlined the fact that the government had raised the taxes on petrol by Rs 12 per litre and on diesel Rs 14 per litre, twice in March and May 2020, to garner extra revenue.
Adding to this, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman levied an additional agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) of Rs 2.5 per litre on petrol and Rs 4 per litre on diesel in the Union Budget presented on February 1. (ANI)