BJD Takes Out Bullock Cart Rally To Protest Fuel Price Rise

Bhubaneswar: Activists of the ruling BJD’s youth and students’ wing
took out a bullock cart rally at Master Canteen Square here on
Thursday to protest fuel price rise.

“Fuel prices in the country are among the highest in south Asia. The
unprecedented hike in fuel prices placed enormous financial burdens on
the general public. The party will continue its protest against such
anti-people move of the Central Government till the fuel prices are
slashed”, BJD general secretary Sanjay Das Burma said.

On the other hand, the BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan
alleged that through such demonstrations and protests, the ruling
party is attempting to divert people’s attention from its failure in
addressing several prominent issues faced by the people of the state.

“States including Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and
Himachal Pradesh have reduced value added tax (VAT) on petrol and
diesel. But, Odisha government rejected the Central Government’s
request to cut down VAT, despite the fact that the state is
collecting VAT over Rs 20 per litre of petrol and diesel”, Harichandan
pointed out.