BJP to protest against price hike

Shillong, June 19 (UNI) The Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party today decided to oberve a half-an-hour blackout on July 2 in protest against the government's failure in controlling the price rise of essential commodities.

The accusation was made against both the Centre and the state government. The blackout will be observed between 1930 - 2000 hrs.

Talking to reporters here, BJP's General Secretary-in-charge, Meghalaya, Chandrashekhar Rao said ''The anti-people nature of the Congress-led government both at the Centre and in Meghalaya has become apparent to all.

''They are neither sincere nor have any genuine commitment towards their pre-election promises to the ''aam aadmi.'' ''The government both at the Centre and in Meghalaya are betraying the common man. This is proven by the unprecedented and unabated rise in the price of essential commodities,'' Mr Rao said.

Besides, the price rise in essential commodities, the prices of fertilisers and medicines are also rising day by day, making life of the common man difficult, he said, adding that the prices of essential commodities have gone up by 100 per cent during the last two and a half years.

''This has happened in spite of the fall in the international prices of oil from 71 to 51 US dollars per barrel,'' he said.

The Union Budget had failed to provide any inflationary measures that could immediately give relief to the common people, the BJP leader said.

On the recent diversion of Central quota of PDS rice and other essential commodities meant for below the poverty line people of the state, Mr Rao said his party was making all efforts possible to save the situation and consulting legal experts on the matter as well.

UNI