CPM demands Centre to roll back LPG price hike

Kurnool: Demanding the BJP government to withdraw the LPG price hike immediately, the CPM leaders staged protests across Kurnool and Nandyal districts on Thursday. Addressing the protest staged in front of Peddakadabur mandal tahsildar's office, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) state secretary G Ramanna said that the Modi government was squeezing the life of common people by continuously hiking the prices of LPG cylinders.

In a span of 9 years, the government hiked LPG price by Rs 700, stated Ramanna. He further said in 2014, the cost of 14.2 kg cylinder was Rs 410. Now, the same cylinder costs Rs 1,155. The Modi government instead of reducing the prices, has again hiked Rs 50 on 14.2 kg domestic cylinder and Rs 350 on commercial cylinders. Due to increase in gas prices, the poor and middle class families would face huge financial burden and demanded the government to immediately withdraw the hiked gas price else they would intensify the agitation.

A senior leader K Paramesh said the roadside vendors, who earn livelihood by selling tea, tiffin and others, would face huge problem with the government move.He said the Modi government has hiked the price of LPG cylinder which is being used by every household. On the other hand, it has reduced the petrol price by 4 per cent used by aero planes. The irony was, in the way of benefiting a few community people, the Modi government exerting huge burden on the common people, he pointed out.

Paramesh further said that the prices of all essential commodities have already touched skyroof.He alleged that the Modi was sucking the blood of common people and benefitting Adani and Ambanis. Despite the crude oil price in the international market came down, he said the petrol, diesel and gas rates were increasing by every passing year in India.If the government do not heed the public demand then they would be forced to intensify the agitation, he stated.

District Congress Committee (DCC) president M Sudhakar Babu also demanded the BJP government to revoke the decision. He alleged that in view of the elections at Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura, the Modi government did not hike the gas prices. Immediately after the elections, the prices have been hiked, which is not a good thing. He demanded the Modi government to withdraw the hike in gas prices.