J&K Congress protests against hike in fuel prices for sixth consecutive day

State Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir said the week-long protest throughout the country is an attempt “to awaken the government to the hardships of people”.

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday staged a protest for the sixth consecutive day across Jammu region against the hike in fuel prices by the BJP government.

JKPCC chief GA Mir along with party leaders and workers during a protest march against the hike in fuel price in Jammu on Saturday. (PTI)

State Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir said the week-long protest throughout the country is an attempt “to awaken the government to the hardships of people”. “The continuously rising prices of diesel and petrol, for 22 consecutive days, has increased the burden on people. The BJP government has also increased transport tariff by 30% in Jammu. No money is percolating down to the middle class or poor people. No financial relief is provided to the public. As a result, the local consumers are suffering on a daily basis.” Mir said.

The high retail price of petrol and diesel continues to impact the common man even though global market has thrown enough cues for a sharp cut in the price of auto fuels, he added.

He said when the BJP came to power in May 2014, excise duty on petrol was only ₹ 9.20 per litre and on diesel ₹ 3.46 per litre. In the course of six years, the BJP increased excise duty to ₹ 23.78 per litre on petrol and ₹ 28.37 per litre on diesel.

Meanwhile, District Congress Committee (Jammu rural) president Hari Singh Chib and Senior party leader Mohinder Bhardwaj led a massive protest march from Tara Chowk in Bishnah to Tehsil Office and submitted a memorandum to the tehsildar against the continuous increase in the prices of petrol and diesel over the past two months.