Kolkata: The TMC on Monday criticised the Centre over the hike in petrol and diesel prices, alleging that it would trigger a rise in the cost of essential commodities.
Addressing a press conference, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Babul Supriyo claimed that the retail price of petrol in Kolkata is Rs 11 per litre more than in the national capital and demanded an immediate rollback of the state-imposed duties on the fuel in West Bengal.
“When there is a double-engine government now in the state, the price of petrol should be made at par,” he said.
Addressing the same press conference, TMC spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh said, “A litre of petrol in Kolkata today costs Rs 113.51, following the latest hike of Rs 2.87, while diesel is just 18 paise away from a century, costing Rs 99.82”.
Ghosh claimed that this will lead to a hike in the prices of essential items, including food and transportation.
Criticising the Centre for hiking fuel prices for the fourth time in a fortnight, Ghosh said this was done soon after the assembly election results in five states.
“The government is blaming the West Asian crisis for the price hike of petroleum goods, including domestic and commercial LPG, but they should make alternate arrangements to alleviate the people’s problems,” the TMC leader said.
Ghosh demanded withdrawal of state levies, saying the BJP had made similar demands when the Mamata Banerjee-led government was in power.
The retail price of petrol has remained higher in West Bengal compared to Delhi for years because of state-imposed taxes.
Claiming that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was merely replicating Mamata Banerjee’s style of public outreach, Ghosh said the former CM had been holding “janata darbars” at her Kalighat residence for years.
Maintaining that the TMC remained a strong opposition force in the 294-member assembly with 80 MLAs, Supriyo said the BJP was in power at the Centre with support from allies despite securing only 37 per cent votes nationally.
“They should understand that the Trinamool Congress has got 41 per cent votes in West Bengal,” he said.
Referring to the deletion of voter names during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Supriyo claimed that around 27 lakh names had been removed over “logical discrepancies.”
He alleged that a tribunal hearing around 1,700 appeals had recommended restoration of nearly all names except 40.
“If this can be considered a sample size, then 97 per cent of the deleted names would regain voting rights when the tribunal decisions on SIR deletions come through,” Supriyo said.
He alleged that the deletion of names from the voter list is a planned operation.
Supriyo further questioned the basis for setting up holding centres in the state and demanded that the BJP government release details of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas allegedly among the 27 lakh deleted voters.
The West Bengal government has directed district magistrates to initiate steps for establishing holding centres for “apprehended foreigners” and “released foreign prisoners awaiting deportation or repatriation”, officials said.
On eviction drives against hawkers near railway stations and other places, Supriyo said the state government should have provided advance notice and rehabilitation arrangements.
“They are trying to emulate the bulldozer policy of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh,” he alleged.
“Bulldozer politics will not work in Bengal,” he asserted.
Accusing the BJP government in the state of appeasing the majority community, Supriyo said such politics was harmful for society.
“You accused the TMC of appeasing minorities, but now you are appeasing the majority community, which is more harmful,” he said.
He also urged the government to adopt a compassionate approach regarding cattle slaughter during Eid al-Adha.
The Calcutta High Court on May 21 directed the state government to decide under Section 12 of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, on the exemption sought in view of the festival.
Supriyo also expressed support for the ‘Cockroach Janata Party’.
“Why has the platform’s social media account been withheld over baseless allegations?” he asked.
The satirical platform emerged following a controversy around remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant regarding ”cockroaches” and ”parasites” during a court hearing on the ”senior” designation of lawyers.
The CJI later clarified that his observations, directed at individuals entering the legal profession through ”fake and bogus degrees”, were misquoted.
