The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Sunday extended its support to the “Bharat Bandh” called on Monday by the Congress in protest against the rising prices of petroleum products, even as the Shiv Sena chose not to join the bandh despite a request by the principal Opposition party.
On a day when the Opposition NCP, Samajwadi Party and Samajwadi Party announced their decision to join Monday’s bandh called by the Congress, the Shiv Sena said that it would not join the bandh. “The Sena will not support the Bharat bandh. The Opposition parties have woken up from their slumber belatedly. They are to free to stage a protest against the rising prices. When they fail in their efforts, the Shiv Sena will hit the streets, “ Sena’s spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut said.
Announcing its support to the “Bharat bandh” called by the Congress, MNS chief Raj Thackreay said: “The petrol and diesel prices have sky-rocketed and due to this, the common man is in anguish. To protest this hike, all political parties have declared aRs Bharat bandh’ on Monday. The MNS extends its full support to the bandh and will actively participate in it”.
Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the steep fuel price hike, the MNS chief said: “Though the fuel prices are linked to the global markets, the Central and state government, over and above that, have imposed heavy taxes on the sale of fuel. The country’s policies cannot be based on the whims and fancies of one person”.
“The demonetisation was a huge blunder and its repercussions have plummeted our economy into a precarious state. To cover up this, heavy taxes are being imposed on fuel in the hope that the economic conditions would return to normal,” Raj said,
While appealing to his party workers across the state to enforce the bandh, the MNS chief said: “We should all ensure that the bandh is successful so that the BJP-led NDA government will realise the mistakes it has committed”.
Raj, however, exhorted his party workers not to damage public property and also ensure that the common man would not be inconvenienced in any manner during the bandh.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons here, Maharashtra Congress president and former chief minister Ashok Chavan said: “The parties like the NCP, MNS, CPI, CPM, Samajwadi Party, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Jogendra Kavade-headed People’s Republican Party and Rajendra Gavai-led Republican Party have extended their support the Rs Bharat bandh’ called by the Congress”.
Chavan appealed his party workers and their counterparts from other parties supporting the bandh not to cause any damage to public and private property during the bandh. “We have called the bandh to bring relief to the common people. Hence, I appeal to all not to cause any damage to the public property and also take precautions that they would not inconvenience the people heading to coastal Konkan region for the Ganesh festival”
Chavan charged that through the hike in prices of petroleum products, the government was trying to extract money from the common man’s pockets.
The Congress leader said that his party was in favour of petroleum products being brought under GST, but till then, central excise duty and other taxes, which he said is the reason for the price hike, should be reduced.
“There is talk about petrol and diesel being brought under GST. We will appreciate that, but until it is implemented, we demand that central excise duty and other tax levied by the Central and state governments should be immediately reduced,” he said.