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Dimapur, July 11 (EMN): Irked by gradual increase in the prices of essential commodities on daily basis triggered by the rise in prices of petrol and diesel, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has urged the government to rollback the prices of petrol and diesel.
In this regard, NVCO has supported the ongoing nation-wide protest against what it termed ‘unprecedented rise in prices of essential commodities as well as petrol and diesel’ called by the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC). NVCO also appealed to all the consumers/ public of Nagaland in particular to come forward and support the noble cause.
A NVCO’s statement through its president, Kezhokhoto Savi, recounted that during the later part of 2020 when the state government imposed Covid-cess on fuel and motor spirits, it had asked the government to rollback the said tax as common people were suffering with skyrocketing of prices. It has accused the state government of lacking an effective mechanism to regulate prices of essential commodities and petroleum products.
NVCO had pointed out that the new tax on petroleum products might not be the right way to create revenue by ignoring public interest as the state government could always save its budget by removing “non-government employees enjoying government’s monthly salary” at the rank of cabinet minister, PROs, PS, media officer, commissioner and secretary, joint/ deputy secretaries attached to politicians and top offices, non-legislators holding the posts of advisors, party workers and defeated candidates holding posts of chairman with minister’s status etc.
NVCO also affirmed not to remain ‘silent spectator’ over the issue which contributes to price rise in the state markets be it ‘continuous hike in fuel or illegal and unauthorised taxation etc.’
NVCO president Savi stated that a strong crowd of farmers came together on Thursday last to raise their voices against the recent price hike of petrol, diesel and cooking oil and demanded to cut the rates at half with immediate effect.
During the protest, farmers from different parts of the country including Delhi borders gather on the sides of national and state highways along with their tractors, motorcycles, cars and other vehicles, and held a sit-in protests in an attempt to draw the government’s attention towards their plight following the fuel price hike, Savi said. He added that housewives also came out in large numbers to participate in the agitation with empty gas cylinders.
Savi also stated that farmers also observed ‘Horn baja diwas’ by honking horns of vehicles for five minutes to draw the attention of the government as part of the agitation on Thursday.
Stating that India being a democratic country, Savi appealed to the government to listen to the voice of the people in their protection against unprecedented rise in prices of essential commodities as well as petrol and diesel.