BJP Mahila Morcha lashes out at Center for price rise, LPG cap

Mangalore, October 12: Large number of women gathered in front of Deputy Commissioner's Office on Friday in support of a protest organised by the city wing of BJP Mahila Morcha against the diesel price hike and cap on subsidised LPG cylinders.

Addressing the protesters, Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that homes and families had been hit hard by the policies brought by the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. He said that the facilities that had been provided to people through various schemes during former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's tenure were slowly being withdrawn one by one by the UPA government. Every house had the luxury of gas cylinders and roads had been extensively constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana during the rule of NDA government, he said.

He alleged that the Congress government completely failed in developing the country. “Through umpteen number of hike in prices, they have hindered the progress of the country. On the other hand threat of terrorism and naxalism is growing” he said.

Taking a dig at Sonia Gandhi in anticipation of her upcoming visit to the district, he said that her publicity campaigns or antics would not work in Dakshina Kannada.

Terming the UPA government as 'anti-people', district president of BJP Mahila Morcha Pulasya Rai said that the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders placed by the government proved troublesome for the public. “In four past years, the congress-led government has a string of scams to its name, which is proof of its weak and incompetent administration. By swallowing up 1.76 lakh crores in the 2G scam and 1.86 lakh crore in coal-block allocation, they have lost their right to rule the nation. This misrule will not be allowed to continue, she said.

Speaking on the conditions of poor and middle class families, she said that it had become tough for them who had to manage with just one cylinder for two months. How can they afford to purchase a non-subsidised one, when it cost around a thousand rupees? Isn't the UPA government concerned about the people? How will they accomplish their 'Garibi Hatao' when they hike prices and bring such anti-people policies, she demanded, saying that the Mahila Morcha would continue agitation against the government till it removes the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders and reduce the rates of petroleum products.

Former MLA Kumble Sundar Rao said that the country had come to such a sad state that people had no option but to wait in long queues for gas cylinders. “We have reached a point where not just gas, but even essential commodities like diesel, oil and rice are also becoming out of reach for consumers,” he said.

He said that there was a chance to bring down commodities to normal rates if the leaders ruling the country would reduce the prevalent corruption.

In her welcome speech, general secretary of the district wing of Mahila Morcha Sumana Sharan said that 73 per cent of the Indians used subsidised gas cylinders, and it was not possible to manage two months with one cylinder. She said that the BJP Mahila Morcha was conducting similar protests not just in the district, but in various corners of the nation.

BJP district president Padmanabha Kottary, Mangalore Deputy Mayor Amithakala, Pushpalatha Gatty and former president of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Shailaja Bhat were present.