Govt slashes petrol, diesel prices by Rs 2 per litre, JAC to continue strike

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 7, 2021

The state government has decided to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre with effect from February 8. 

However, the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles (MJACCV)  has decided not to call off the ongoing indefinite strike the state government has failed to address all their grievances. 

“In view of the recent price hike in petrol and diesel in Meghalaya, Govt. has decided that the rate for both petrol and diesel will be reduced by 2 rupees per litre, effective from midnight of 8th February 2021,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on Sunday. 

Not satisfied with this decision, JAC chairman Wandonbok Jyrwa said, “We have decided to continue with our ongoing indefinite strike since the state government has failed to address all grievances faced by the commercial vehicles since COVID-19 lockdown last year.

He also termed the government’s decision to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel as an attempt to fool the commercial vehicle operators. 

“This is because we have also been demanding that the tax imposed on commercial vehicles should be reduced by 50 percent. The government did not speak anything on this regard but is trying to fool us by reducing the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 2, which is pointless,” Jyrwa said.

He said the government should provide relief to the commercial vehicles as they have suffered a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We feel that the eight taxes imposed on commercial vehicles should be reduced by 50 percent for the lockdown period,” the chairman said. 

Asked,, he said before the lockdown, the state government was imposing Rs 22 per litre as tax on petrol and diesel. “Despite the hardships faced by the people during and post lockdown, the government has instead increased the tax on petrol and diesel to Rs 31…so to reduce only Rs 2 of this, we feel it is totally meaningless,” he said.