GUWAHATI, June 24 - Congress today staged a protest in the city against the recent sharp hike in petrol and diesel prices.
Workers of the party, led by former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora, staged the protest at the Rajiv Bhawan here. They shouted slogans against the BJP-led Central and State governments and called for a rollback of the hike in prices of petroleum products.
Speaking on the occasion, Gogoi alleged that the Narendra Modi-led Central government is insensitive to the plight of the common masses. He said that the government�s refusal to roll back the huge excise duties on petrol and diesel have led to increase in prices of other essential commodities and made the lives of the masses, who are already suffering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic slowdown, even more miserable.
�The real face of the Modi government has got exposed. By increasing the excise duty on petrol and diesel, the Modi government has proved that it does not bother about the masses. Rather than providing relief to the people, the government has increased the duty on petrol and diesel. The Modi government is only working for the benefit of the corporate houses,� said Gogoi.
Bora, on his part, said that retail prices of petrol and diesel in India have touched a historic high at a time when global crude prices have tumbled. �The wrong policies of the government have hurt the masses. The people are suffering but the government refuses to do anything to ameliorate the situation,� Bora said.
