The Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD) staged a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan here on Friday protesting the hike in prices of both subsidised and non-subsidised lPG cylinders by the Union Government and demanded immediate rollback of the price hike.
The women activists led by BMJD president Pramila Mallick termed the Centre’s move to withdraw subsidy from lPG cylinders gradually as anti-poor.
Demanding immediate rollback of the price hike, the party submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India to Governor SC Jamir.
Mallick said the Centre has hiked the price of lPG at least 19 times since June 2016 when the price of a subsidised (14.2 kg) cylinder war Rs 419.18.
“Only 20 per cent of women who have got subsidies cylinders are now refilling their cylinders and use of gas has been a dream for the rest 80 per cent women,” she alleged.
She said the BJD would intensify its agitation at the grassroots level if the decision is not withdrawn soon.
“We staged a protest against hike in price of subsidised lPG by Rs 4 and non-subsidised by Rs 93. We demand immediate rollback. We will stage dharna in front of RDC offices on November 6. We would agitate till the Centre fulfils our demands,” Mallick said.
The women activists will stage dharna in all 314 blocks of the State in coming days if the Centre does not agree to their demand, she said.