Fuel price rise: Mizoram Commercial Vehicles Union to strike indefinitely from Oct 23
Earlier, Chief Minister Lalduhoma had confirmed that it would not reduce the prices
AT Photo: Commercial vehicles in Mizoram to go on an indefinite strike following fuel price hike (Representational Image)
Guwahati, Oct. 21: The Mizoram Commercial Vehicles Union (MCVU), along with 11 other organisations has announced an indefinite strike starting Wednesday in protest against the state government's refusal to roll back the recent fuel price hike.
From 6:00 am on October 23, no commercial vehicles, including those carrying essential commodities and passengers, will operate in the state.
The decision followed a meeting of the council of ministers on October 16, where the state government upheld the fuel price hike that has been in effect since early September.
Reportedly, the price of petrol rose from Rs. 93.93 to Rs. 99.24 per litre, while diesel increased from Rs. 82.62 to Rs. 88.02 per litre on September 1.
In a press release, the MCVU criticised Chief Minister Lalduhoma for not fulfilling his earlier assurances.
The union claimed that the Chief Minister had requested them on October 11 to postpone their planned October 14 strike, promising that the matter would be reviewed by the council of ministers on October 16. However, after the meeting, the government maintained the fuel price hike.
Notably, Chief Minister Lalduhoma defended the hike, stating that despite the increase, fuel prices in Mizoram remain lower than pre-COVID levels and are still below those in neighbouring states like Assam, Sikkim, and Nagaland.
The MCVU, however, accused the Chief Minister of misleading them.
Further, according to the union, the chairman of the NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), a coalition of civil societies and student organisations, had also indicated that the fuel price hike order from September 1 would be suspended. The MCVU demanded a reduction in petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5 per litre, while the NGOCC had earlier appealed for a Rs 3 reduction.
"We temporarily suspended our agitation scheduled for October 14, but we will resume it indefinitely from October 23," said MCVU General Secretary P Sanghmingthanga.
Sanghmingthanga also expressed concerns over the poor condition of National Highway 306, the main route connecting Silchar and Aizawl.
- By Correspondent
