The activists of the Left parties staged a demonstration in-front of the Prakasam Bhavan on Thursday, demanding that petrol, diesel and cooking gas be brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.
Leading the protest, Communist Party of India (M) Prakasam district Secretary P. Anjaneyulu said that there was no justification for the prices of petrol and diesel crossing the ₹100-mark and cooking gas price nearing the ₹1,000-mark even after the crude oil price crashed in the international market.
“It is unfortunate that the YSRCP and the main opposition TDP are involved in politicking, ignoring the sufferings of the toiling masses who are finding it difficult to make a living as the prices of all essential commodities have shot up,” he said.
At a time when the common man is struggling to eke out a living owing to the economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the Union and State governments have imposed a hefty tax of more than ₹70 per litre of fuel, said CPI leader M.L. Narayana. More people have started using firewood for cooking again as the LPG cylinders have gone out of reach, he added.
