Protest march against fuel hike on Sept 10

Mangaluru: A protest march will be staged against the rising petrol, diesel and LPG prices on September 10, informed MLC Ivan D Souza.

Nearly 28 organisation have come together to stage the protest which will start from Hampanakatta Circle and culminate at DC office. 

Addressing presspersons here on Friday, September 7, Ivan D Souza compared the prices of the international crude prices vis-a-vis the fuel prices under the UPA and the present NDA government regimes. He highlighted that back in 2014 when international crude oil was priced at US dollar 108.26 per barrel, the petrol and diesel were priced at Rs 65 and Rs 48 per litre respectively. Compared to the then prices, international crude oil is trading at US 65 dollar per barrel presently but the prices of petrol and diesesl have moved upwards to touch Rs 81.63 and Rs 74 per litre repectively. Similarly, LPG prices has gone upto Rs 813 per cylinder in 2018 as against the Rs 400 in 2014.

Further, he said that RTI information has revealed that petrol and diesel are being sold at Rs 34 and Rs 27 respectively to some foreign countries while the same is costing much more in the country. This clearly shows the government’s apathy towards the sufferings of the common citizen, he said.

“The protest is not intended to gain any kind of political mileage,” said Ivan adding that prior to the protest, awareness meets on fuel hike will be held at Urwa Market, Urwa store, Urwa rickshaw stand, Kudroli Jodupalli, Bunder police station and Kandak between 6pm to 9pm on September 7 and at Kudroli Circle, KMC Attavar, Mahakali Padpu, Valencia and Kankanady ground on September 8.