Punjab: SAD protests fuel price hike, illegal mining

“People today hold the Congress government responsible for the hike in fuel prices as well as the increase in power tariffs and other taxes,” he said while accusing the ruling party leaders of looting the state through the alleged liquor and seed scams besides illegal mining. Badal also demanded from the government to ensure that no student of any private school in the state was victimised solely because his parents were not able to afford fee due to reduced income during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal on Tuesday held statewide protests against the hike in fuel prices, alleged liquor scam and illegal mining in Punjab. Leading a protest in Mohali’s Zirakpur, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded that the Punjab government slash fuel prices by Rs 10 a litre.

“Once the Punjab government reduces fuel prices by Rs 10 per litre, we will ask the Centre to do the same,” the SAD president said, adding that they have already written to PM Narendra Modi to cut central excise duty on fuel. Badal claimed that people in large numbers protested on the call given by the Akali Dal and displayed their anger against the Congress-led government in the state. “People today hold the Congress government responsible for the hike in fuel prices as well as the increase in power tariffs and other taxes,” he said while accusing the ruling party leaders of looting the state through the alleged liquor and seed scams besides illegal mining.

Badal also demanded from the government to ensure that no student of any private school in the state was victimised solely because his parents were not able to afford fee due to reduced income during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the state should compensate private schools by submitting their six months' fee in advance.

Meanwhile, former minister Bikram Singh Majithia in Amritsar said diesel is the costliest in Punjab when compared with neighbouring states. He claimed that in direct contrast, diesel prices used to be the least in Punjab in comparison with other states during the SAD-BJP regime.

Majithia demanded a central probe into the “embezzlement and wrongful distribution” of ration by the Congress government. He alleged that the ration sent by the Centre for 1.40 crore people was “diverted” to Congressmen who “embezzled” it and sold it on the open market.

At Rupnagar, senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the SAD was forced to come out and hold dharnas because the Congress-led government were following “anti-people” policies. "People are looking for relief but the Congress government is putting more burden on them by way of increased power tariffs besides other taxes,” he said. He alleged the sand mafia has been given a “free hand” by the Congress government due to which Congressmen were enriching themselves at the cost of the state treasury.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)