SP activists torch govt?s effigy over price hike

UPSET OVER the recent price hike of petrol and diesel, activists of the Samajwadi Lohia Vahini torched the effigies of the Union Government and Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora at Girjaghar Crossing here in Varanasi on Thursday.

UPSET OVER the recent price hike of petrol and diesel, activists of the Samajwadi Lohia Vahini torched the effigies of the Union Government and Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora at Girjaghar Crossing here in Varanasi on
Thursday.

HT Image

The activists said instead of hiking prices of petrol and diesel, the government should decrease excise duty and sales tax on petroleum products.

They said common people were the worst sufferers as prices of essential commodities would also shoot up due to this hike.

Presiding over the agitation, Santosh Seth said prices of petroleum were lowest in New Delhi whereas people in other parts of the country were forced to pay a much higher price for the same products.

He warned the government to roll back the recent hike or the Lohia Vahini activists would launch a massive agitation soon.

Trivedi Pathak, Omu Mishra, Bhara Yadav, Badshah Ali, Aadil Khan, Danish Ahmad, Harun Ansari, Dipu Sinha and Bedi Srivastava were among others who addressed the dharna.

Meanwhile, central committee member of the All-India Forward Bloc, Sanjay Bhattacharya said common people were the worst sufferers due to the price rise.

He said the Forward Bloc workers would observe a weeklong protest agitation from June 12 to June 18 to lodge their protest against the Union Government.