Attacking the BJP-led government over the "unprecedented" fuel price rise, the Jammu and Kashmir Congress alleged, "this regime is acting brazenly in adding to the woes of people".
An agitation at Dayalachak in the Kathua district against the hike in the prices of petrol, diesel and other essential commodities was also held by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir.
Congress has been demanding that the tax on petrol and diesel be reduced to give relief to people.
"This uncontrolled inflation coupled with a raging pandemic and this government's crude policies has inflicted a lot of misery on the people," the Congress leader said.
He said the petrol and diesel price rise has directly affected the common people but the Centre has not formulated any policy to deal with it.
Mir said fuel prices are at a "historic and unsustainable" high as petrol has breached the Rs 100 per litre-mark in many parts of the country and the surging diesel prices have added to the escalating woes of millions of farmers.
He said the challenges confronting the common man have been compounded by runaway inflation and an unprecedented rise in the price of almost all household items and essential commodities.
"The so-called 'double engine' BJP government is fooling the people of the country...the regime is acting brazenly in adding to the woes of the people," he said.
He said his party has been forced to come out on the streets as the "administrative inertia is eating into the vitals of the people".
"What baffles most citizens is that these prices have been increased despite moderate prices of international crude oil. What is equally distressing is that despite being in power for almost seven years now, the government continues to blame previous regimes for its own economic mismanagement," he said.
He alleged the government is "resolute" on squeezing money out of the people's pockets in any way possible, from "needless" taxes in the name of development, to the persistent price rises.
"The fuel price hike has not only hit traders but also farmers, students, daily wage earners and other sections of the society. Befooling the public into paying high taxes when their hands are already tight because of a slow post-pandemic recovery, is a huge problem," he said.
Mir also claimed that since the BJP took over in 2014, the miseries of the people of Jammu and Kashmir have increased manifolds.
"All the promises made to the people prior to the Assembly elections of 2014 remained unfulfilled. Nearly seven years have passed but they have failed to fulfil any of the promises, be it the problems faced by the border residents, farmers, refugees or Kashmiri Pandits. This government has done nothing to address these problems," he said.
With PTI Inputs
