Kerala budget 2023: Congress-led UDF MLAs march to Assembly in protest against fuel cess
Synopsis
During the protest march, the Congress MLAs held placards and raised slogans against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his government for not providing any relief to the people who are already hit by price rise.
The Congress-led UDF MLAs on Thursday (February 9) held a protest march to the state Legislative Assembly to attend the session against the Left government's refusal to roll back the tax proposals and social security cess on fuel and liquor that was announced in the budget.
A day after state Finance Minister KN Balagopal refused to withdraw the budget proposals, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, VD Satheesan, led the foot march of UDF legislators to the Assembly from MLA hostel, alleging that the state government was looting the people.
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Speaking to reporters, Satheesan slammed the alleged arrogant attitude of the LDF government and said the UDF will intensify its protest both inside and outside the Assembly.
During the protest march, the MLAs held placards and raised slogans against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his government for not providing any relief to the people who are already hit by price rise. Satheesan urged the state government to stop adopting an adamant stand on fuel price cess, claiming that the prices of petrol and diesel have put the burden on the common man.
Earlier on Monday, the Congress intensified the protest against the budget proposals and launched a sit-in protest at the entrance of the state Assembly.
Congress MLAs Mathew Kuzhalnadan, Shafi Pramabil, Najeeb Kanthapuram and CR Mahesh staged a sit-in at the entrance of the Assembly when the House took up the discussion on the budget presented by Finance Minister KN Balagopal on Friday.
The Left government's budget proposal to impose cess on petrol, diesel and liquor continued to trigger widespread protests in Kerala. On Monday, Youth Congress workers took out a protest march to the Assembly which turned violent in the state capital.
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