The Dibrugarh district unit of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) hit the streets in Dibrugarh on Thursday in protest against the spiralling prices of essential commodities and the state government’s plan to hike property tax. Hundreds of Aasu members carrying placards and banners took out a procession along the marketplaces of the town. They continued their demonstration raising slogans against the BJP-led government for its failure to check price rise of essential commodities in the state.
“The price of essential commodities has gone through the roof making life miserable for the common people. Under such circumstances, the government is planning to hike property taxes. This will be an additional burden on the people who are already reeling under price rise. The government should discard its anti-people policies and takes measures to check price rise,” Dibrugarh district Aasu president Bulbul Dutta said.
Saying that all commodities ranging anging from food stuff, petrol, diesel, cooking gas, home construction materials and medicines have gone beyond the purchasing power of the common people, the students’ body sought strong and proactive action from the government to check price rise.
“High cost of petrol and diesel has led to an abnormal rise in the prices of essential commodities. People are now forced to spend a major portion of their income on filling their vehicles. Additionally other commodities have also gone beyond the reach of the general public. The government should take immediate steps to control the price rise or people of the country will be forced to hit the streets in protest,” AASU Dibrugarh unit general secretary Papu Saikia said.
