Agartala, May 16:
Opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday organised a protest rally in Agartala against the recent hike in fuel and cooking gas prices, alleging that the increase would further burden common people already affected by inflation.
The protest, led by the party’s youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), saw party workers marching through the city raising slogans against the BJP-led central government and demanding rollback of the enhanced prices.
Addressing the media, CPIM leader and DYFI Tripura state secretary Amal Chakraborty alleged that the hike in petrol, diesel and LPG prices would trigger a fresh rise in prices of essential commodities, including edible oils and other daily necessities.
“Diesel, petrol and cooking gas are the driving force behind transportation and the supply chain. Once fuel prices rise, the prices of all essential items automatically increase,” Chakraborty said.
He alleged that the recent increase in cooking gas cylinder prices and fuel rates amounted to “an economic bomb” on the people, particularly lower and middle-income families.
Chakraborty claimed that the BJP government had increased petrol and diesel prices “secretly in the darkness of night” through administrative notification soon after elections, despite earlier promises to control inflation and stand beside the people.
The DYFI leader further accused the BJP of “double standards” and “betraying people after elections,” asserting that the struggle against price rise and the political fight against the BJP were “one and the same.”
The protest concluded with a demonstration in Agartala, where CPI(M) leaders reiterated their demand for immediate rollback of the fuel and cooking gas price hike.
