Uttar Pradesh traders today took to the streets, protesting the recent fuel price hike and burnt effigy of the central government.
Traders under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (ABUVM) took out similar protest marches across the state. Demanding immediate rollback of the hike in petroleum products, the traders warned of intensifying their protests from July 3 in all the 72 districts of UP.
Speaking to Business Standard , ABUVM president Sandeep Bansal said, “the Centre is only concerned about the losses of big oil marketing companies, but is apathetic towards the plight of common man. “People are facing hardships due to sustained hike in petroleum products,” he lamented.
Yesterday, state Chief Minister Mayawati had also urged the central government to reduce central excise on petroleum products to provide succour to people.
Recently, the central empowered group of ministers (EGoM) had approved hikes of Rs 3/litre, Rs 2/litre and Rs 50/cylinder in the prices of diesel, kerosene and LPG respectively.
In her letter to prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mayawati maintained that her state was not in the position to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel, since tax rate in UP was already lower compared to other states.
Recently, some states had cut VAT on these commodities to ease the burden on people, while the Centre had also suggested the states to reduce VAT.
Meanwhile, Bansal warned if fuel price hike was not reversed, all the major markets in UP would intensify their stir from July 3. Besides, its units in other states viz. Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra would also join in the stir, he informed.
ABUVM has also been demanding ban on futures trading in essential commodities being conducted on bourses and blaming it for the runaway inflation in India.
