Bhadrachalam : Congress launches cycle yatra to protest hike in fuel prices

Bhadrachalam (Kothagudem): The Narendra Modi government at the Centre and K Chandrashekar Rao government in the State has took the nation and the State to 40 years back with their anti-people policies, alleged Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

The CLP leader launched the cycle yatra here on Sunday to protest against the increase in petrol, diesel and LPG cylinder prices imposed by the BJP-led NDA government. Before starting the cycle yatra, he offered special prayers at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple here.

Speaking to the media persons, he said people were forced to ride cycles as a mode of transport because of hike in fuel prices. "The State and Central governments are imposing heavy taxes on petrol and diesel making the lives of public miserable," he said, adding that when the Congress was in rule in the past, though crude oil prices reached 138 US dollars per barrel, the government managed to maintain the prices of petrol and diesel at Rs 55 and Rs 44 by means of moderate tax of Rs 12 per litre.

With the crude oil prices coming drastically down across the world, the prices of petrol and diesel should be reduced by half. But now, the State and Central governments together were imposing a tax of about Rs 58 per litre. The increase in fuel prices in turn led to domino effect on essential commodities with their prices going up. This has become a burden for the middle class and poor sections, he said.

The CLP leader alleged that the Modi government was trying to render thousands of employees jobless by handing the public sector companies, established in Congress rule, to private companies. The Centre was also planning to privatise SCCL and Heavy Water Plant, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao were running autocratic governments, Vikramarka alleged and urged the graduate voters to support Congress nominee Ramulu Naik for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates MLC election.

The yatra would cover around 213 kilometres and conclude on March 12 with a meeting of the party leaders in Khammam. Bhadrachalam MLC Podem Veeraiah, MLC T Jeevan Reddy, former Union Minister P Balaram Naik, former MLC P Nageswara Rao, MLC candidate Ramulu Naik and others took part in the yatra.