MT News Service
Jammu, June 9:
JKPCC Vice President and former Minister Raman Bhalla on Wednesday attacked the government over the rise in prices of essential commodities, asking it to act sternly against black marketeers and push sufficient stocks of food in the market to check rising prices. This was observed by former Minister after meeting different sections of society in various areas of Gandhi Nagar constituency on Wednesday. He accused the government of being ignorant and alleged it was allowing stocks to rot and the people to suffer. He said Covid crisis are already here but it is not only Covid-19 that is denting the spirits of the common man as the prices of food items are spiralling. He claimed that with almost no fiscal stimulus, the economy is struggling to get back on track, but “the government is ignorant and blatantly incompetent in controlling inflation”. He said while the government should be exploring avenues to provide support to the people and boost consumption, it is on a lookout to “extract as much from the common man and leave them helpless”. “We demand that the government immediately act on black marketeers, assess the stock of essential items lying in cold storages and push sufficient stock in the markets to control the prices,” Bhalla said.
As per press statement issued to mercury times, Bhalla cited the high prices of grocery items, saying it is highest in 10 years. He said the consumer food price inflation has been consistently high for the last few months, both in the urban and rural areas. When the time is to boost consumption in our economy, why is the government denting the pockets of the common man through increased prices for their mandatory spending,” he also asked. The Congress party will hold a nationwide symbolic protest in front of petrol pumps across the country on June 11 against the hike in fuel prices. The economic condition of the people is deteriorating due to the skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel amid the Corona epidemic.
In many states, the price of petrol has crossed Rs 100 per liter. In such a situation, people are facing a lot of problems.Now the Congress party has announced to take this issue more strongly by taking it on the road. However, in view of the Corona epidemic, it was already told that this protest will be only symbolic. In such a situation, the general public should not have any problem with this.Actually, the effect of increasing the price of petrol and diesel falls on the entire economy. Inflation is increasing further due to an increase in the price of petroleum products. The prices of essential goods are skyrocketing and the public is getting upset. In such a situation, immediate steps should be taken by the central government to reduce the price of petroleum products.
“The BJP has shamelessly exposed itself in its utter failure to govern the country on each front,” Bhalla alleged. “The Modi dispensation is conspiring with and sponsoring this atrocious public loot to benefit his corporate friends,” he alleged while hitting out at the central government for “crushing” the poor under the burden of high prices of LPG, diesel and petrol.The former Minister said a party which had “stolen” the votes of the poor in the name of development had completely “forsaken” them. “The poor who were already reeling under stress of COVID now cannot make their ends meet, while Govt’s close corporate friends become richer each second by millions,” alleged Bhalla.He further lambasted the Centre for “decimating” small and medium businesses resulting in millions of job and livelihood losses across various sectors of economy.
Underscoring the fact that Manmohan Singh, when he was the prime minister, never let the prices of oil rise even when the crude oil became costly in the international market, Bhalla pointed out that despite the low crude prices internationally the Modi government has not even passed on the benefit of the low price to the public.”Manmohan Singh ji ensured that buying petrol and diesel remains within the reach of the poor people by subsidizing it for masses when prices rose internationally,” said Bhalla.
The rise in prices of diesel and petrol had a “deleterious cascading” impact that broke the back of those marginalised and poor households, which are finding it difficult to make their ends meet, Bhalla said questioning the rationale behind this price hike.Questioning their “deafening silence” over rise in prices, Bhalla said BJP Govt has “lost” the trust of people of country forever.
“The Modi government is working to benefit his corporate friends,” Bhalla said mincing no words while hitting out at the Central government for burdening the poor with high prices of LPG and fuel.
Bhalla further said prices of essential items like petrol, diesel and cooking gas (LPG) are increasing in an uncontrolled manner after government control over the prices were removed. It has created problems everywhere, and lives of the people are affected. The government should take cognizance of the seriousness of the situation and find a solution.”
“The increase in additional taxes, especially on petrol and diesel, by the Centre and states is resulting in sky-rocketing prices, and the burden is increasing almost everyday on crores of poor and unemployed people. Has the Constitution ensured such a welfare state principle,” Bhalla asked. The Congress on Tuesday hit out at the Modi government over rising prices of essential commodities and demanded that the Prime Minister “come forward” and convene a meeting of all parties.
Bhalla also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay a roadmap for tackling inflation. He also accused Modi of indulging in politics of hatred and division, and urged him to focus on the development of the country.
“We demand that Govt come forward and convene a meeting of all parties and present a roadmap for tackling prices of essential commodities in the next 30 or 60 days,” he said.
He also questioned Govt’s silence over the “unprecedented” increase in prices of food items, saying this has hit the common man.
