Assam: Implement GST on petrol and diesel to tackle price hike crisis, says MLA Akhil Gogoi

Assam Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi on August 6 has raised concerns about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's approach towards taxation, criticizing the imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on students staying in PG and hostels while neglecting the same on petrol and diesel. Speaking at a press conference, the Raijor Dal party chief asserted that introducing GST on fuel could lead to a decrease in diesel and petrol prices, consequently lowering the costs of other essential commodities.

Gogoi highlighted the alarming price hikes affecting everyday goods, leaving the common citizens of Assam grappling with economic challenges. "How the rice price has increased... How the medicine price has increased... every person in Assam knows how the price of goods has risen rapidly now," said Gogoi, drawing attention to the pressing issue.

Addressing the reasons behind the soaring prices, Gogoi attributed the government's "misgovernance" and a shift towards market-based policies as the primary causes. He lamented the departure from the earlier welfare state approach, where the government used to control prices through the public distribution system and maintained a fund to counteract oil price increases. Under the BJP government's neo-liberal economy, these measures have been disregarded, leading to an uncontrolled price rise.

Gogoi emphasized that by implementing GST on petrol and diesel, the government could potentially regulate fuel prices, resulting in a cascading effect on other products, ultimately reducing their prices. As he presented the staggering data from the Consumer Price Index in Assam, it was evident that the base prices of essential goods have experienced significant increments over the years.

In the transportation sector, fuel prices have witnessed an alarming 240 percent increase since 2012. Food and beverages have seen a Rs 174 surge, while items like eggs, health products, and meat and fish have experienced price hikes of Rs 170 , Rs 95 , and Rs 91 , respectively.