All Assam Student's Union protest over price hike

Jorhat (Assam), July 10 (ANI): The All Assam Student's Union (AASU) supporters blocked all national highways of Assam on Saturday to protest against the price rise of essential commodities.

The commuters here had to face a lot of problems, as the students formed a human chain on national highway of Johart town and blocked it for almost an hour.

"This is a protest against the unprecedented price hike specially unscrupulous businessmen are taking advantage of fuel price hike and today student union is demanding to immediately reduce price of fuel and other essential commodities," said Sudeepta Narayan Goswami, AASU Worker.

The protestors also demanded to retract all proposals to set up dams in the State.

They said the downstream impact of Mega Hydel Power Projects would endanger life and property of the indigenous people in the region.

"We are very sorry to say that the government is not paying any attention. They are just ignoring the demands of the people and they continue with their anti-people activities with the price hike and with the construction of dams," said Goswami.

Earlier on June 25, a ministerial panel headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had lifted pricing controls on petroleum following which the price of petrol went up by Rs 3.50 a litre.

The government hiked the prices of diesel by Rs.2 a litre, kerosene by Rs.3 a litre and cooking gas by Rs.35 per cylinder. (ANI)