Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretary K. Ramakrishna has demanded rollback of the hike in prices in petrol, diesel, cooking oils, power tariff, property, water tax and garbage tax, imposed by the Union and the State governments.
He participated in the door-to-door campaign, organised by the CPI city unit, against the hike in the prices of essential commodities at Relli Veedhi, Godari gothulu, Rangireeju Veedhi and Poorna Market areas here on Tuesday.
Mr. Ramakrishna along with CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy and city secretary M. Pydiraju and others paid floral tributes to the bust of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Relli Veedhi before undertaking the campaign. The party leaders and activists carried firewood on their heads and the party workers carried a cooking gas cylinder, hung from a pole on their shoulders, depicting the problems of the common citizens. The party workers distributed pamphlets to the people to create awareness among them on the issues.
‘Roundtable on April 15’
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Ramakrishna said that protests would be held at the village and ward secretariats and representations given to the ward secretaries. A roundtable meeting would be held in Vijayawada with all political parties on April 15 , and, if necessary, a State bandh would be organised.
He alleged that the Central and State governments were causing untold hardship to the common people, who were already reeling under the crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic during the last two years, by hiking the prices of essential commodities. Both the Central and State governments went back on their election promises and were taking unilateral decisions. He alleged that the Union government, which failed to go to the rescue of the common people during the pandemic, was writing off the loans of corporate groups like Ambanis and Adanis. He also alleged that the Centre had failed to keep its promise of eradicating the black money and reducing the tax burden.
The hike in the prices of petrol and diesel was resulting in the prices of essential commodities going up, causing undue burden on the poor and middle class people. He sought bringing petrol and diesel under GST. He said that the governments instead of reducing the customs duties and taxes, were hiking the prices.
The CPI State assistant secretary said that the State government has brought power sector reforms as it had accepted the Electricity Reforms Bill-2020, bought out by the Centre. He alleged that the State government has fixed smart meters to agricultural pumpsets and gave a go-by to the free power for farmers, which was introduced by former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
