Threatens to disrupt Parliament sessions
PORVORIM, JULY 1
Bharatiya Janata Party Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde on Thursday warned the Central government that the opposition parties would disrupt the Parliament sessions, if the government does not roll back petroleum prices immediately.
He was addressing the gathering at the meeting organized by BJP at Sirsat Hall, Mapusa, on Thursday evening.
“The Congress government at the Centre has increased prices of petroleum products twice in the last one year, due to which prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed,” stated Munde.
“Now, it is high time that people of all sections of the society and political parties come together and register their protest against price rise by observing Bandh on July 5,” said Munde.
“During BJP’s rule at the Centre, prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and gas were Rs 28, Rs 22 and Rs 6 per litre, while that of gas cylinder was Rs 150, which has now almost doubled,” he said.
“This has occurred due to the faulty economic policies of the Central government. Corruption has become a way of life now. If the government does not roll back petroleum prices immediately, then the Opposition parties will not allow the Parliament to function,” warned Munde.
Munde further said during the presentation of annual budget, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had given the assurance to the House that they would control the inflation within 100 days, but the government has failed to control the price rise even after lapse of one year, which shows that the government is inefficient.
“The government has decided to decontrol the price of diesel and hence the people should not get surprised if diesel prices are increased further within one month. Increase in diesel prices increases transportation cost of the goods and eventually the common man has to bear the brunt of rise in prices of essential commodities,” added Munde.
Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar said due to rise in prices of petroleum products, prices of essential commodities will now increase further and the worst sufferers would be the poor and middle class people.
“Prices of crude oil has come down substantially in recent years and the cost of 1 litre of petrol at the refinery level works out to around Rs 25 per litre presently, but due to Central Excise duty levied by the Central government and VAT imposed by the State government, petrol price get doubled by the time it reaches the citizens,” said Parrikar.
“If the Central and State governments reduces Central Excise duty and VAT respectively, then petroleum products could be made available at cheaper rate to Goans,” opined Parrikar.
BJP President Laxmikant Parsekar, Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza, Siolim MLA Dayanand Mandrekar, Kunda Chodankar and Govind Parvatkar also spoke on the occasion.
