Odisha: Classes suspended as Congress to stage bandh on fuel prices today
The state government on Sunday declared that all educational institutions would be closed on Monday in view of the Congress-sponsored Odisha bandh, from 7 am to 1 pm, in protest against rising fuel prices.
A torchlight (mashal) rally organised by Congress in Rourkela on SundayBHUBANESWAR: The state government on Sunday declared that all educational institutions would be closed on Monday in view of the Congress-sponsored Odisha bandh, from 7 am to 1 pm, in protest against rising fuel prices.
“All private and government schools, colleges and universities will remain closed. We have asked our employees to reach offices in Bhubaneswar by 9.30 am,” a senior government officer said.
The state police headquarters has asked the SPs to remain alert. Adequate police forces have been deployed across the state to avoid any untoward incident. “We appeal to the protestors not to resort to any violence,” a senior police officer said. Congress state president Niranjan Patnaik said the bandh has been called as a mark of protest against the Centre and the state for their failure to control rising fuel prices. “Both the central and the state governments must be held accountable. Only a sharp reduction in fuel prices will give relief to the common man,” Niranjan said.
It must be noted that petrol and diesel prices stood at Rs 94.08 and Rs 90.66, respectively in Malkangiri and Rs 89.42 (petrol) and Rs 86.13 (diesel) in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
At present, the central excise duty and state VAT constitute about 70 per cent of the fuel cost. To shore up its pandemic-hit revenue, the Odisha government had in May last year hiked the VAT on petrol from 26% to 32% and on diesel from 26% to 28%. Currently, central excise duty makes up for 39% of petrol cost and 42.5% that of diesel.
The BJP, meanwhile, said the Congress-called bandh has no meaning. “Prices of fuel keep fluctuating on the basis of international crude oil price. The Centre has no control on fuel prices as those are governed by an international price mechanism,” senior BJP leader Golak Mohapatra said.
“All private and government schools, colleges and universities will remain closed. We have asked our employees to reach offices in Bhubaneswar by 9.30 am,” a senior government officer said.
The state police headquarters has asked the SPs to remain alert. Adequate police forces have been deployed across the state to avoid any untoward incident. “We appeal to the protestors not to resort to any violence,” a senior police officer said. Congress state president Niranjan Patnaik said the bandh has been called as a mark of protest against the Centre and the state for their failure to control rising fuel prices. “Both the central and the state governments must be held accountable. Only a sharp reduction in fuel prices will give relief to the common man,” Niranjan said.
It must be noted that petrol and diesel prices stood at Rs 94.08 and Rs 90.66, respectively in Malkangiri and Rs 89.42 (petrol) and Rs 86.13 (diesel) in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
At present, the central excise duty and state VAT constitute about 70 per cent of the fuel cost. To shore up its pandemic-hit revenue, the Odisha government had in May last year hiked the VAT on petrol from 26% to 32% and on diesel from 26% to 28%. Currently, central excise duty makes up for 39% of petrol cost and 42.5% that of diesel.
The BJP, meanwhile, said the Congress-called bandh has no meaning. “Prices of fuel keep fluctuating on the basis of international crude oil price. The Centre has no control on fuel prices as those are governed by an international price mechanism,” senior BJP leader Golak Mohapatra said.
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