Goel protests CNG, PNG price hike by driving auto-rickshaw

·        Goel protests CNG, PNG price hike by driving auto-rickshaw

·        Delhi BJP stages protest against hike in CNG, PNG prices in Delhi

·        Hike in CNG prices will compel people to shift to more polluted fuels: Goel

The Delhi BJP today slammed the Delhi Government for hiking the CNG and PNG prices, which will have a cascading effect on the common man in Delhi. Supporting the cause of the auto-rickshaw drivers and the commuters in the city, the Delhi BJP staged a protest at Khajuri Khas chowk in Delhi and demanded an immediate roll back of the hike in prices of CNG and PNG.

The prices of CNG have been increased 12 times in the last 5 years only. The CNG prices were around Rs. 12 per kg when the Congress came into power. But, the repeated hike in prices of the public transport fuel by the government has seen it go up to almost 400% of the prices during the Congress regime.

All the fuels have seen an unprecedented hike in prices under the present regime in Delhi making it an unaffordable city. The prices of petrol, diesel and LPG in 1999 during the BJP regime in Delhi were      Rs. 23.80 per litre, Rs. 9.94 per litre and Rs. 146.00 per cylinder respectively. Now petrol is selling at    Rs. 74.10 per litre, diesel at Rs. 51.97 per litre and LPG at Rs. 800-900 if a family crosses the quota set by the Delhi government.

Expressing solidarity with the auto-rickshaw drivers and commuters in the wake of the hike in prices of CNG, the Delhi BJP President, Shri Vijay Goel drove an auto-rickshaw at Khajuri Khas chowk. 

Shri Goel said, “The uncalled for hike in CNG prices would lead to acute pressure for increase in auto and taxi fares, which will further burden the finances of the common commuters in Delhi. It will shift people from using CNG to more pollution causing fuels in Delhi, which has seen more than 21% rise in levels of pollution in the last ten years.”

“People in Delhi are already under tremendous duress due to very high inflation, caused by mismanagement by the Delhi government. Instead of taking steps to bring down prices of essential commodities including the food items, the government has allowed hike in CNG and PNG prices. The BJP demands an immediate roll back of CNG and PNG prices,” added Shri Goel.

A large number of auto-rickshaw drivers and common public participated in the protest. The auto-drivers expressed their predicament saying that they are sand-witched between the unprecedented inflation on one hand and the hike in CNG prices on the other.

Addressing the auto-rickshaw drivers, the Delhi BJP President also stressed that they should be more commuter-friendly in Delhi.