Congress has received support from all the business organisations, transport organisations, traders among others for the nationwide shut down ‘Bharat Bandh’ scheduled on September 10, said PL Punia. He said shut down would be from 9 am to 3 pm. Major opposition and left parties have also backing the decision, as it concerns the common man.
Addressing a Press conference at State Congress office Rajiv Bhawan on Sunday, Chhattisgarh in-charge of All India Congress Committee (AICC), PL Punia said the party has got all round support to the Bandh call. Here in Chhattisgarh too, Chhattisgarh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (CCCI), Transport Association, and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) have extended full support for shut down, he informed.
“As far as support from other Opposition parties are concerned, most of them have expressed support. Left parties have already said that as it was a people’s issue and that they are already agitating about them. We will be supporting the Bandh, they have said,” stated Punia.
Citing the steep petrol and diesel prices as well as cooking gas, he said the common man is reeling under pressure created by Government. AICC incharge of Chhattisgarh further made an appeal to citizens, activists, NGOs and every section of the society to join the Bandh call and make it a people’s movement.
He alleged that the Modi government had collected ?11 lakh crore in taxes such as excise duty since May 2014 after hiking it 12 times. They continue to do so and they had also not brought the petroleum and petroleum products under GST.
Even though the crude oil prices had gone down from 106$ to 70$ per barrel, the union government has now reduced the prices of petroleum products. The fuel prices in neighbouring countries are much cheaper than here in the country, he said.
“The Congress has called for Bharat Bandh on Monday, in order to highlight Rs 11 lakh crore income by the Government and to demand an immediate reduction in central excise duty as also excessive VAT,’’ he said.
Punia added the AICC president Rahul Gandhi since last year had been demanding to bring petrol and diesel under the ambit of the goods and services tax (GST) in order to slash down the prices but the NDA led union government was not giving any ear to it.
“The mismanagement of economy has led to high prices. When fuel prices were rising during the UPA regime, taxes were reduced to take the burden off the people. But due to the laxity by the current government, the prices of petrol, diesel and gas cylinders have gone up steeply,” he said.