Assam Congress demands immediate roll back in fuel prices, burns PM's effigy

Guwahati: Upper the ante against the hike in fuel price across the country on Wednesday, Assam Congress leaders are staging a sit-in demonstration in the vicinity of party headquarters Rajiv Bhawan as a mark of protest.

The dharna is being led from the front by the Grand Old Party's prominent regional leaders such as former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Ripun Bora, and Mahila Pradesh Congress President Chief Nandita Das (who is also the MLA from Boko).

"When the global oil prices are down, prices in India have been going up. Where are the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promised achche din? Does this mean that we are actually going back in time? This is the burden of the common man", lamented Ripun Bora.

Lacerating the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and his BJP party, the Congress members shouted slogans decrying the current regime, while also demanding an instant roll back in fuel prices. Later, the Congress leaders also brought forth effigies of PM Modi and petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, which they fed to the flames.

It needs mention here that the fuel rates started spiraling upwards since June 7, as companies resumed daily revision in prices in line with costs after ending an 82-day gap amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown. This has resulted in a sharp spike in petrol-diesel prices, which are at a two-year high.

Domestic rates of auto fuels are likely to soon hit the Rs 80/liter mark as the international rates of oil also are continuing to increase. At the same time, International benchmark Brent crude surged 1.74% at $43.83 on Tuesday.

Responding to the increase in fuel prices, the Congress leadership has said it is "unjust" and demanded an immediate roll back in the rates. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has said that if the government does not alter the course on this "ill-advised trajectory",  many middle-income households will be pushed to the margins of poverty.

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