Bharat Bandh: BJP appeals for public support
HERALD NEWS BUREAU
PANJIM, JULY 3
In a bid to make the Bharat Bandh on July 5 a success in the State, BJP leaders in North Goa have appealed to industrial units, banks, transport associations, educational institutions, businessmen and other NGOs to support the Bandh.
Mayem correspondent adds: The Bicholim BJP unit, comprising MLAs Rajesh Patnekar and Anant Shet along with BMC Chairperson Satish Gaonkar and other councilors expressed confidence that the Bandh on Monday would be a “grand success.”
Addressing a press conference in Bicholim, Patnekar said the Congress had failed to handle the issue of rising inflation and consequently, had put the common man to great hardship.
Added MLA Shet: “When there is consequent decline in the prices of crude oil, the Congress-led government is irrationally hiking the price of oil and this is due to faulty planning and policies.”
BMC Chairperson Satish Gaonkar, councilors Bhagwan Harmalkar, Manohar Shirodkar, Kamalkar Teli, Balu Birje and BJP activists were also present at the press conference.
Porvorim correspondent adds: Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza has stated that the opposition parties had decided to hold the Bharat Bandh on July 5 to convey a message to the Central government and the State government that the increase in price of petroleum products is unjustified.
Addressing a press conference in Mapusa on Saturday evening, D’Souza said the Bharatiya Janata Party has announced this Bandh not to get political mileage but to air the grievances of the people.
“BJP has contacted the common man and everybody feel that the price rise on diesel, petrol, kerosene and LPG is unjustified and should be rolled back immediately. Hence, it is necessary that all political parties should render their support to the bandh and make it success,” said D’Souza adding, that the central government had increased the price of petroleum when the price of crude oil was $150 a barrel.
“Now the price of a barrel of crude oil has come to $74. The cost of petrol at the refinery level now works out to about Rs 25 per litre and hence the tax component levied by both the Central and State government has made petrol costlier. In order to make petroleum products available to consumers at cheaper rates, the central and the state government have to reduce the tax component,” the Mapusa MLA said.
