Members of All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and other organisations staged a protest in front of Mini Vidhan Soudha in Hubballi on Wednesday, opposing the hike in petrol and diesel prices.
Submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the tahsildar’s office, they stated that petrol and diesel prices are being increased continuously since 15 days, putting extra burden on common people who are already in trouble due to Covid-19 lockdown.
“Union government should have controlled price rise, but it has maintained silence. Instead of extending better helping hand for unplanned lockdown-hit people, it is trying to loot money from them by hiking petrol-diesel price,” they charged.
When the crude oil price at the international market is low, petrol and diesel prices are increased through more tax and cess in India. This would make transport and essential goods costly, further creating hardships for people. To increase its revenue, the government should impose wealth tax on super-rich, but should reduce the prices of petrol and diesel, they demanded.
N A Khaji, Devanand Jagapur, Basir Mudhol, Mahesh Pattar, B S Soppin, Rajashekhar Menasinkai, and members of other organisations took part in the protest.
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