Centre must give free cooking gas to the poor: CM

KOLKATA: Lambasting the BJP-led Central government for collecting Rs 3.71 lakh crore through taxes on petrol and diesel by causing distress to common people, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday the Centre must give free cooking gas to people from the financially weaker section by utilising the collected money.

"The kitchen has been set on fire by the steep rise in the price of cooking gas. The Modi government has earned Rs 3.71 lakh crore from taxes on fuel... where is the money? He does only 'mann ki baat'. Why doesn't he talk about petrol and diesel? He should hold a 'petrol and vaccine ki baat' instead of his 'mann ki baat'. 'Mann ki baat' main 'petrol ki baat' kijiyee (Instead of 'manki baat', talk about petrol prices)," she said.

The Chief Minister's statement assumes significance with the price of petrol crossing the century mark in all metro cities including Kolkata.

"Look at the price of gas... which has shot up by 47 per cent in the last few months. What happened to Ujjwala (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana - a central scheme to distribute 50 million LPG connections to BPL, or below poverty line, families)? If we can give social schemes, why can't you. The poor should get free-of-cost gas," she added.

State Labour minister, Becharam Manna, rode a cycle for 38 km from his Singur constituency in Hooghly to the state assembly to protest against rising fuel prices. He was accompanied by Trinamool Congress workers up to the assembly gate who held placards that read: "Modi Babu, Petrol Bekabu", which translates from Bengali to "Mr Modi, petrol is out of

control".

Banerjee further asked the Prime Minister to focus on health and economy, and not on Cabinet reshuffles. There were protests under the banner of Trinamool Youth Congress in different parts of the state on Wednesday- including north Kolkata, south Kolkata and Howrah against the escalating price of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.