Mizoram commercial vehicle owners mull indefinite strike following govt’s u-turn
Aizawl: The commercial vehicle owners in Mizoram have reconsidered their decision to go on strike for an indefinite period from October 23 following the government’s failure to meet their demands.
The commercial vehicle owners have been demanding a reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per litre each which were hiked on September 1 this year.
The commercial vehicle owners had initially decided to go on strike for an indefinite period from October 14 but later withdrew its plan after Chief Minister Lalduhoma requested them to wait till the cabinet meeting on October 16.
The Mizoram Commercial Vehicle Union (MCVU) during a meeting on Saturday decided that all commercial vehicles will cease operations for an indefinite period from October 23.
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Despite repeated appeals by MCVU, the state cabinet decided not to reduce prices of petrol and diesel ignoring the commitment made by Chief Minister Lalduhoma to MCVU and the civil society organisations to reduce fuel prices, the union said.
The MCVU alleged that its leaders met Lalduhoma on October 11, who informed them that the order hiking the prices of petrol and diesel has been revoked.
The government hiked the value-added tax (VAT) on petrol from 5.23 per cent to 10 per cent and from 16.36 per cent to 18 per cent on diesel which came into effect from September 1, 2024.
Apart from the hike in VAT, the government also imposed a new levy of Rs 2 per litre each on diesel and petrol, respectively for social infrastructure and services cess, with an additional Rs 2 per litre each for road maintenance.
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Accordingly, petrol prices in Mizoram have been raised from Rs 93.68 to Rs 99.24 per litre, while diesel prices have been increased to Rs 88.02 from Rs 80.30 per litre.
On Thursday, Lalduhoma said that the meeting of the council of ministers held on Wednesday decided not to reduce but continue with the existing prices of petrol and diesel.
Lalduhoma claimed that the hike in fuel prices was for social infrastructure and road maintenance, which is for the welfare and benefit of the people.