Ripun hits out at govt for not checking price rise

Guwahati: Chanting the slogan, “Maa, Mati and Manuh (mother, land and people)”, in his first press conference as TMC Assam president, Ripun Bora, on Wednesday fired a salvo at the BJP-led state government over its failure to curb prices of food products, cooking gas and fuel to give relief to the common people, who are still struggling to find a toehold after two years of economic instability because of the pandemic.
The former Congress leader accused the NDA government of looting the people by not taking any initiative to control price hike. “The prices of petrol and LPG have hit the roof. While petrol costs Rs 100 per litre, LPG cylinders come for Rs 1,000 and more. No vegetable is less than Rs 80 a kg. Such expenses are adversely affecting the household budgets. But no steps have been taken by the government,” he said.
He further said according to a survey report, around 87% people have been affected by the spiraling prices of vegetables in the country. “The purchasing power of the people has decreased in the country. The per capita income has gone down alarmingly. The BJP government has increased taxes on everything and people are bearing the burden. Such is the situation now that people have to think how to procure their two square meals,” he added.
Bora, who resigned from the Congress and joined the TMC on April 18, assured the people of the state that the party will work for the protection of the constitutional, political, socio-economical and land rights of the people. “The vision of the party is based on the philosophy of Maa, Mati and Manush. We will work on this philosophy in the coming days,” he added.
Bora had resigned from the Congress alleging that a section of senior leaders of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee had been maintaining secret understanding with the BJP government, mainly with the chief minister, instead of taking on the saffron party.