NC Women Wing takes out protest march against fuel price hike

JAMMU MAY 31(KMW): Women Wing of National Conference on Thursday took out a massive protest march led by its Provincial President Satwant Kaur Dogra in the capital city of Jammu against surging fuel prices.

“We will continue protesting till the fuel prices are slashed,” said Satwant, who slammed the BJP government for its anti people policies. She described 1 paisa cut in the prices of diesel and petrol as a big joke with the people of the country and asked, “Is this the BJP version of Ache Din?”

Joined by senior women wing leaders the march took off from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan and concluded at the official residence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at Wazarat Road amid scorching heat and soaring mercury.

Lashing out at the BJP for protecting the interest of the oil marketing companies at the cost of the people, Satwant said that BJP has been milking the people and depriving them of the benefits that should have accrued to them due to decrease in international crude oil prices for the last four years. “Instead, they kept increasing the prices and failed to pass on the benefits to the consumers”, she said and demanded tax cut on diesel and petrol. She demanded that BJP at the Centre and the insensitive PDP/BJP dispensation in State should cut on Central Excise duty and VAT respectively so that some reprieve could be provided to the people suffering due to high fuel prices.

Terming the hike in petrol and diesel price as alarming, Satwant said the unprecedented has not only impacted the rates of essentials but also affected the middle and poor class hugely.

Satwant Kaur Dogra also raised the issue of erratic power supply and scarcity of drinking water in Jammu city and assailed the PDP-BJP government for putting the people to various hardships. She sought regulated power and water supply and urged the administration to take necessary measures in ensuring drinking water in tankers where tap water had become scarce.

Carrying placards, the enthusiastic women wing workers raised slogans against the BJP government and demanded respite in fuel prices. On the entire route, the people echoed their anger and responded to the slogans of the workers.

Prominent amongst those who participated in the protest march included Provincial Vice President Vijay laxmi Dutta, Ex- Corporator Rashida Begum, Reeta Gupta, Veena Oberoi, Daljeet Sharma, Kuldeep Kaur, Anju Grover, Ashu Rajput, Sakuntala, Komal Manhas, Lata Sharma, Rekha Chib, Rama Gupta, Geeta Handoo , Rekha Manhas and others.