Reported by Bhadra Gogoi
Dimapur: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Saturday staged a protest march in Dimapur against the recent increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders, calling on the government to immediately reverse the hike.
The demonstration began near the Dimapur Town Hall and concluded at a petrol pump located about a kilometre away, where party leaders addressed supporters and reiterated their demands.
Protesters carrying banners and placards highlighting concerns over rising inflation and escalating fuel costs marched through the town while raising slogans against both the BJP-led Central government and the NPF-BJP coalition government in Nagaland.
Speaking at the gathering, NPCC working president Apok Jamir said the continued rise in fuel prices had placed a heavy burden on ordinary citizens and contributed to a sharp increase in the overall cost of living.
He noted that farmers, daily wage earners, transport operators and homemakers were among the worst affected sections, arguing that the situation reflected poor economic management and governance.
Jamir urged citizens, civil society organisations and public representatives to collectively oppose the fuel price hike and press for measures that would provide relief to consumers.
Describing the agitation as a fight for the welfare and rights of the people, he said the protest sought to draw attention to the hardships faced by households across the state and demanded an immediate rollback of the revised fuel rates.
Dimapur District Congress Committee president Kutoho Chishi said the demonstration was organised in the larger public interest and should not be viewed through a partisan political lens.
He called on the Centre as well as the state government to reduce the prices of petrol, diesel and domestic cooking gas, stating that rising fuel costs were adversely impacting all sections of society.
Chishi also criticised the state’s taxation policy on fuel, pointing out that Nagaland imposes Value Added Tax (VAT) of 16.94 per cent on petrol and 12.83 per cent on diesel, which, according to him, adds to the financial burden on consumers.