Bhubaneswar, Aug. 4: The women's wing of the BJD today staged a demonstration near Raj Bhavan demanding immediate rollback of the Centre's decision to phase out subsidy from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
Later, a 30-member delegation led by BJD women's wing president Pramilla Mallick met governor S.C. Jamir and submitted a memorandum to this effect. Ministers Usha Devi and Snehangini Chhuria also took part in the demonstration.
Mallick said: "If the Centre ignores our demand, we will intensify our agitation. We will take the agitation to the grassroots and even to the ward level."
She added: "The common man has been badly hit because of the Centre's policy on petroleum products. Even if the price of petroleum products takes a nosedive in the international market, the price of petroleum has not come down. People are not getting the benefit of it."
Taking a dig at Modi government's acche din (good days) claims, she said: "The tax burden has been increased over the years. The Centre is more concerned about protecting the interests of rich people."
She also said: "After the government implemented GST, the rate of the LPG has increased by Rs 32. The NDA government has deceived women all over the country."
The women's wing today announced they would organise a protest meeting at all the district headquarters, and revenue divisional officers'. "The workers at the district level will also send memoranda addressed to the President," she said.
The BJD was agitated after Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan on July 31 informed the Lok Sabha in a written statement that: "the government vide its order dated 30th May, 2017, has again authorised Oil Marketing Companies to continue to increase the effective price of subsidised domestic LPG by Rs 4 per cylinder effective from 1st June, 2017, per month (excluding VAT as applicable in different states/Union territories) till the reduction of government subsidy to 'nil', or till March 2018, or till further order, whichever is earliest".
