Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President and MP A Revanth Reddy on Saturday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Governments of "robbing people by imposing various taxes."
He alleged that BJP-TRS Governments have looted Rs 32 lakh crore from common people in the last eight years.
While addressing a massive public meeting at Chevella crossroads after completing a 10-km padayatra, Reddy said, "Congress president Sonia Gandhi had given a call for agitation against anti-people policies at the Centre and in Telangana to highlight the plight of common people due to rising inflation. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were also leading the agitation in different parts of the country. The padayatra was part of a nationwide "Jana Jagran Abhiyan" by the Congress party against the rising inflation."
The TPCC Chief announced that two TRS MPTCs Kavali Sujatha and Sattaiah have joined the Congress party in protest.
"The BJP, TRS Governments have been robbing the people for the last eight years by imposing various taxes. They have looted nearly Rs 32 lakh crore from the common people in the form of various taxes. A litre of petrol used to cost Rs 60 in 2014 under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime. But now its price has increased to Rs 108 per litre. The actual price of petrol should be Rs. 40-45 per litre. But people are being forced to pay Rs 108. Similarly, an LPG cylinder worth Rs. 400 is being sold for over Rs. 1,000," said Reddy.
He said that under Congress rule, people used to buy a bag full of goods by carrying an amount in their fist. But now the situation has reversed. Under the BJP and TRS regime, people are carrying a bag full of money just to buy a handful of grains.
He further said that farmers have also suffered due to the increase in the prices of diesel which they use to operate their tractors. "The BJP and TRS Governments were not ready to purchase the produce of farmers. Many farmers died while waiting to dispose of their paddy in Telangana State,' he added.
Reddy slammed Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) for not reducing the VAT on the prices of petrol and diesel. He said that KCR tried to downplay the rising inflation while the fact remains that not only essential commodities, but even the liquor prices have increased multifold which is paid by the people in the form of Excise Duty and other taxes.
He announced that the Congress party would continue its agitation until the BJP, TRS Governments purchase every grain produced by the paddy farmers.
Earlier, Digvijay Singh said that the Congress party was fighting for the poor people by raising voices against the rising inflation. He said the prices of fuel and all essential commodities have increased manifold ever since BJP came to power. He alleged that the central Government was working only for the benefit of a few big industrialists while neglecting the welfare of common people.
( With inputs from ANI )
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