Charging Rs 31 on every litre of petrol at the pump is like “taking money from the public’s pocket”, leader of the opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma, said in a rebuke of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government today.
With petrol prices heading towards Rs 100 per litre, the public is feeling the pinch and the state Congress Party has the government in its sights.
“It is another way of taking money from your pocket, another way of turning a legal system to extortion,” the former Chief Minister said.
Fuel price rises will have a knock-on effect on inflation and hit the poor and middle class hard as everyday necessities become more and more expensive.
Dr Sangma also said that the country is self-sufficient in agricultural produce to a great extent and many farmers use mechanized farming equipment to some degree for which diesel or petrol are required.
“The burden (of the hike in prices of diesel and petrol) is now passed on to the farmers who are the backbone of our economy,” he stated, adding that if this is not understood by policymakers then they can at least have empathy towards these members of the community who contribute towards the country’s GDP.
