While bracing up to make the nationwide ‘bandh’ a success, the Congress will demand cancellation of VAT to immediately bring down costs of petrol and diesel.

While addressing media persons here on Sunday, Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Rajni Patil said that to bring down petrol and diesel prices in Congress-ruled states, efforts will be made to cancel VAT and also pressure will be exercised on BJP ruled states to follow suit.

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“We will also take up the demand raised by Rahul Gandhi time and again to bring petrol and diesel under the GST regime. This move can bring down the cost by Rs 10 to Rs 15,” she said.

Announcing a peaceful ‘bhand’ to be observed across all the districts in Himachal, she said, “On the directions of All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi, the Congress along with other opposition parties is holding a pan-India ‘bandh’ on September 10, in order to raise the voice of the common man that is heavily burdened by back-breaking inflation.”

Terming the nationwide ‘bandh’ a common man’s fight, Patil said “Congress is raising the voice of the common man. We are appealing to the public and reaching out to the various sections of the society that include various trade organizations, transports to lend support to make the shutdown a success.”

Lambasting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Patil charged Modi of acting merely as a ‘dream seller’, on whom the people had instilled exceptional faith, believing of ‘ache din’ as portrayed by him.

“However, in the last four and a half years, Modi failed miserably in fulfilling the promises made to the people of the country. Instead, Modi worked contrary to the dreams he showed to the people,” she alleged.

The price of petrol and diesel as on date has shot to Rs 80.83 and Rs 73 respectively, she said, adding that the LPG which was available at Rs 400 during the previous UPA government is now available at Rs 915 under the Modi led government.

“The escalating costs is having an adverse effect on the daily lives of every section of the society that include women, farmers, transporters, medium scale industries, employees, traders and others. This is resulting into a situation which has almost become difficult to survive,” she said.

On 16 May 2014 the crude oil price in the international market was 107.09 dollar per barrel, however today the same is for 73 dollar per barrel, which has dipped by 40 percent, however despite international prices going down there is no respite for the public in the country.