Slamming the Centre for resorting to serial hikes in LPG prices, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on Thursday said the BJP, which had hit the streets with protest when the previous Congress regime resorted to a price hike of fuel or LPG cylinders by even a rupee, had jacked up LPG prices at least 18 times this year while in power at the Centre.
Addressing a press conference, Mr. Narayanasamy urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and roll back the hike of ₹100 immediately.
The BJP-led government at the Centre which had completely abolished the cylinder subsidy had hiked LPG prices twice in December alone, raising it from ₹ 610 to ₹ 710, he said. In contrast, when the Congress was in power the crude oil prices were USD 130 per barrel and the corresponding price of LPG was ₹350, he said.
“Now, when global crude prices had fallen to USD 60 per barrel and LPG prices had also gone down, the Central government had excessively hiked the prices of petrol and diesel and LPG. During the coronavirus pandemic when people were struggling to sustain their livelihoods, this thoughtless price hike was a grave injustice to the common man. It will escalate costs of essentials and put additional financial burden on the people,” he said.
The Chief Minister also urged Mr. Modi to negotiate a settlement with the farmers agitating in Delhi demanding the repeal of the three new farm laws.
On the issue of obtaining 50% MBBS seats in private medical colleges for the government quota, Mr. Narayanasamy alleged that Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi had forwarded the file to New Delhi after a delay of 45 days and there were some clarifications sought by the Centre. The government had given reply to the queries but there was no response after that from the Centre, he added.
Mr. Narayanasamy pointed out that a government order of 2009 issued in this regard was neither properly worded nor implemented. Further complicating the issue, two private medical colleges had claimed minority status as a means of avoiding the 50% norm. In 2015, the then AINRC government had signed an agreement with the Venkateshwaraa Medical College to accept less than 50% seats. It was citing these circumstances that the Madras High Court had dismissed a writ petition filed by some students from here. “The government will go for an appeal against the order,” he said.
Regarding the proposal for 10% horizontal reservation to government school students in medical education, Mr. Narayanasamy said the relevant file was forwarded to the Centre by Lt.Governor and there was no word yet after that.
Meanwhile, a petition filed in court by a girl student from Puducherry on 10% horizontal reservation to government school students in MBBS admissions would be taken up tomorrow, the Chief Minister said while hoping that the issue would be sorted out.
Slamming news reports about a difference of opinion among the Chief Minister, Ministers and other Congress leaders, Mr. Narayanasamy appealed to the journalists to refrain from publishing such pieces. He maintained that there was no difference of opinion among them and the party had already launched works for the upcoming Assembly election.
Dinesh Gundu Rao, party-in-charge for Puducherry has invited PWD Minister A. Namassivayam, PCC President A. V. Subramanian and himself to Bengaluru to have discussions about the election and there was no difference of opinion among them, he added.
In Puducherry, the Congress, DMK and other allies would hold a fast near the Anna statue on Friday in response to the call for a one-day fast by the DMK and allies in Tamil Nadu to express solidarity with the farmers.
Mr.Namasivayam and K. Lakshminarayanan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister were present at the press conference.