Oil only adds fuel to fire

Petroleum price breaks all-time record; on Tuesday in Guwahati, the increased price of petrol reached Rs 79.03 a litre.

GUWAHATI, May 22: With the petroleum prices going through the roof, it is now widely believed that it will lead to a collateral increase in the transportation prices of various commodities, thereby increasing their prices too.

From 2013 till date, the petrol price has reached in its highest value over the last five years. Till 2013, the petrol price stood at Rs 77.68 a litre. Breaking all-time record on Tuesday in Guwahati, the increased price of petrol reached Rs 79.03 a litre.

Just in the last five days, the day-wise price hikes of petrol were 30 paisa on May 18, 31 paisa on May 19, 34 paisa on May 20, 35 paisa on May 21, and 31 Paisa on May 22. Hence, the increased price on petrol till Tuesday was saturated at Rs 79.03 a litre.

Similarly, the diesel prices per litre over the last five days were Rs 70.01 on May 18, Rs 70.25 on May 19, Rs 70.53 on May 20, Rs 70.79 on May 21, and Rs 71.07 on May 22.

Reacting to the constant price hike, AASU chief advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, president Dipanka Kumar Nath and general secretary Lurin Jyoti Gogoi said the Prime Minister should also listen to the people’s man ki baat. Stating that the price hikes on essential commodities are causing immense hardship to the people of the State, they said the trend is adversely affecting the economic setting of the people of the State.

Protesting against the constant rise on the prices of petroleum, the AASU will stage a demonstration in Guwahati on May 23.

AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, while blaming the BJP-led State government, said the regulation and control of prices of essential commodities was one of the major poll promises of the BJP but in which it has visibly failed.

As if adding fuel to the fire, State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seems indicating further hike in the days to come. Twisting the whole debate on the increased prices, he has appeared arguing that to regularize more schools in the State, the government has to levy more taxes to increase the volume of revenue collection.