Tribune News Service

Jalandhar July 5

Upset with the rising fuel prices, farmers, under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), on Monday, announced to hold a state-level protest on July 8. The protest will be organised for two hours from 10 am to 12 pm.

Farmers, while addressing the media persons, said, the protest would be organised against the Modi Government and its policies. Apart from petrol and diesel, they would also display resentment against rising domestic cooking gas prices.

Morcha leaders Manjit Singh Rai and Satnam Singh Sahni said the way the prices of diesel and petrol were rising on a daily basis, was affecting the agriculture sector the most. “Rising diesel prices have also brought the transport business to the brink. This has pushed up the price of essential freight rates. Since June 20 till today, the diesel prices have hiked 15 times,” added Manjeet Singh.

He said while the international crude oil prices were in the normal range, no relief was given to them despite the sharp fall in prices. Farmer leader Sahni said: “The agriculture sector plays a major role in saving the economy of the country. When the Modi government came to power in 2014, the excise duty on diesel was Rs 3.56 per liter and the excise duty on petrol was 9.48 paise per litre. Whereas the same government has hiked diesel and excise duty on petrol by Rs 28.24 per litre to Rs 31.80 per litre, respectively. The excise duty on petrol in the state has been increased from Rs 23.41 per litre to Rs 32.90 per litre, whereas excise duty on diesel, which is widely used for agriculture and industry, has been hiked by Rs 4.93 per litre.”

Jagjit Singh Kamboj, district president, All India Motor Transport Congress said the hike in diesel prices has hit the transport business hard. State president of Petrol Pump Dealers Association Paramjit Singh Doaba, who is getting subsidy of only Rs 12 to 15 per cylinder, said due to low oil prices in neighboring states, Punjab’s subsidy has been abolished.