BHUBANESWAR: THE ruling BJD on Sunday gave a five-hour hartal call across Odisha on Monday to protest the steep hike in prices of petrol and diesel despite a slide in crude oil price in the international market. The hartal will be observed from 7 am to 12 noon while hospitals and medicine shops have been kept out its purview.
Schools and colleges have been requested to close down during the hartal period. Party workers will also hold picketing at all important junctions in the State Capital and other towns, which is lilkely to affect normal life.
After the announcement was made by the BJD, managements of several schools decided to close down classes on Monday while others maintained a wait and watch policy. Railway and bus services are also likely to be hit.The hartal decision was announced at a media conference here by BJD vice-president and spokesperson Prasanna Kumar Acharya, vice-president and Minister for Planning and Convergence Usha Devi, general secretary Sanjay Dasburma and vice-president of Biju Mahila Janata Dal and Minister of State for Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Snehangini Chhuria.
“The hartal will be observed in a complete non-violent manner from 7 am to 12 noon. I request people from all walks of life, government employees and workers of other political parties to support the hartal to make it a success,” Dasburma said.
Apart from Bhubaneswar, party workers and supporters would stage peaceful agitation in all district, sub-division and block headquarters. Demonstrations will also be held infront of Central government offices, the BJD leaders said, adding the agitation will continue till the Centre reduced fuel prices.
While the international crude price had fallen, the NDA government has failed to take steps to reduce the price of petrol and diesel, Acharya said and added that VAT on petrol in BJP ruled states is more than what is imposed in Odisha. While VAT on petrol and diesel is 26 per cent in Odisha, it 32.07 per cent in Maharashtra, 33 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 35.9 per cent in Uttarakhand, 32.71 per cent in Rajasthan and 34.7 per cent in Jharkhand.
Stating that frequent increase in fuel price had adverse impact on the common people, the BJD leaders said fuel price hike would have a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities. The BJD leaders also criticised withdrawal of subsidy on cooking gas and described it as a anti-people decision of the Centre.
The BJD leaders said the Odisha government has waived VAT on domestic LPG cylinders from June 28, 2011. Stating 5 percent GST has been imposed on LPG cylinders as per decision of the GST Council, the BJD leaders demanded withdrawal of GST on LPG cylinders. BJD general secretary Pranab Prakash Das and secretary Bijay Nayak were present.
Hartal effect on normal life
Schools and colleges have been requested to close down during the hartal period
Railway and bus services are also likely to be hit
Party workers to picket all important junctions in the State Capital and other towns, which is likely to affect normal life