JAMMU: AICC Spokesperson Ragni Naiyak has accused the Modi Govt. of being insensitive to the plight of poor and common man, as it earned about Rs 25 lakh Crores through taxes in six and half years from petrol, diesel & gas, during the period of worst economic distress in the Country.
Addressing a joint press conference with AICC Inchage J&K Affairs Rajni Patil , JKPCC Chief G.A. Mir and Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma besides a host of senior leaders including, PCC vice presidents Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla,NSUI National President Neeraj Kundan, AICC Coordinator S. Patil. She said that the prices of crude oil in the international market have come down to less than half as compared to UPA but rates of per liter petrol, and diesel are one and half times more and domestic gas more than double.
Crude oil was 108 USD during UPA and rates of petrol, diesel were between 65 to 70 per litre but now it is USD 45-50 per barrel, the rates of petrol are more than Rs 100 in over 200 cities and diesel crossed Rs.90 per liter. The gas which was Rs 414 per cylinder during Congress is above Rs. 900 today. She said that 27 crores people were uplifted from BPL during Dr. Manmohan Singh Govt., while under Modi regime 23 crores people have slipped back to BPL category. The unemployment is highest in last 45 years. While it was promised to give 2 crore jobs annually.CIME has disclosed two crores jobs were lost only in two months period, she added.
On the farmers issues, she said that 700 farmers have died during agitation but Modi Govt. is insensitive and unmoved. Click here to watch video Ragni Nayak said that those BJP top leaders who used to protest on every fraction of price rise in opposition are mute spectators in the Govt. as Ministers, over the unprecedented price hike. she referred to the price hike of fertilizers, pesticides and agriculture appliances imposed GST and Taxes further burdening the farmers. She said that on one hand lakhs of people lost their lives due to Covid and the Modi Govt. failed to prepare for the second wave, crores of people lost jobs and their earnings, on the other hand the BJP Govt. is taxing the people by the unprecedented hike of all commodities. 97% of people had reduced income during the period, while Rs 1.25 lakh crores were withdrawn from the Provident Fund during the period which indicates the worst economic distress in the country.
She said from 1st January to July 2021, the rates of petrol, diesel were revised 65 times. The excise collection during 2014-2015 was Rs 1.72 lakh Crores which has gone Rs 4.53 lakh Crore presently. She said that rates of all commodities including food products have gone sky high. Referring to Ujwala Scheme, she said 29 crores beneficiaries have Gas connections out of which 23 crores are BPL and questioned if they can afford to buy Rs. 900 per cylinder. UPA had give Rs 1.42 lakh crores as subsidy on gas which has crossed Rs 900 per cylinder now. She demanded that Modi Govt should consider implementation of NAYA Scheme suggested by Rahul Gandhi, may be by changing the name and reducing the taxes on petrol, diesel and gas to give relief to the suffering masses. AICC Incharge J&K Affairs Rajni Patil, Ex-MP said that Congress party has launched a nationwide agitational programme from July 7 to 17 and would continue to press for reducing the taxes and controlling the prices on all commodities of common use. A ccusing Modi Govt. of totally insensitive and indifferent to the sufferings of the people due to unprecedented price hike during economic distress, she said congress party will gear up to pressurize the BJP Govt. to realize the pain of the people and control prices.
PCC chief G.A. Mir raised the issue of acute shortage of vaccine in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded that Centre Govt. and LG administration should make available the required quantity of vaccine immediately.
