BHUBANESWAR: Upping the ante against the Centre for the record rise in prices of petrol and diesel, the youth and student wings of BJD on Saturday staged peaceful demonstration at petrol pumps across Odisha. Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) activists distributed leaflets infront of all the petrol pumps to create awareness about the record hike in petrol and diesel prices because of upward revision of excise duty by the Centre on these two products.
The BYJD and BCJD have been protesting the oil price hike since long. Now, we have decided to expose the hidden agenda of the Centre before the people, said BYJD president Amaresh Patri. BCJD president Rana Pratap Patra said the BCJD will continue to protest in different forms till corrective measures are taken.BJD general secretary Sanjay Das Burma had earlier informed that the activists will demonstrate in front of all petrol pumps from 9 am to 12 noon to make people aware about the anti-people policies of the Centre. He said care would be taken to ensure no customer faces any problem during the demonstration.
Alleging that the BJP-led Government at the Centre is exploiting the common people by increasing the excise duty on petrol and diesel, Dasburma said excise duty on petrol which was `9.2 per litre on July 10, 2014 has increased by 200 per cent to `19.48 per litre as on February 2. Similarly, excise duty on diesel has increased from `3.46 per litre to `15.33 per litre during the same period.
Reacting to the protest, State wing of BJP said the Naveen Patnaik Government should press for inclusion of the petroleum products under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST). “While the Centre reduced tax on the fuel, the State Government did not do so for the benefit of the public and it is protesting against the fuel price hike. It should request the GST council to bring the petroleum products under GST,” BJP state general secretary Bhrugu Buxipatra said.