Pilot attacks Centre on rising food prices, additional cess

Attacking the Centre over rising food prices, Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot today said commodity prices are shooting up and the situation is further aggravated by additional cess on various services.
Speaking at an election rally here for the bye-elections scheduled on November 21, the former Telecom Minister said common people are not able to purchase basic items like lentils because of spiralling rise in their prices.
The Centre has imposed an additional Swachh Bharat Cess, at the rate of 0.5 per cent, on all services which are liable to Service Tax.
Lashing out at the ruling BJP state government, Pilot said while people in cities are burdened by rising prices, farmers in villages are committing suicide as their yield are not fetching suitable prices.

"Farmers are committing suicides especially in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. There is no increase in the minimum support prices. The farmers are under deep debt stress which is plaguing the entire community," Pilot said.
Pulses and Onion among the food items category turned costlier with inflation at 52.98 per cent and 85.66 per cent respectively during October.

The Ratlam-Jhabua seat will see a tough contest during the by-polls on November 21 which was necessitated after it became vacant following the death of BJP MP Dileep Singh Bhuria.
Congress has given ticket to former Union Minister Kantilal Bhuria while BJP has relied on sitting MLA Nirmala Bhuria, daughter of Dileep Singh Bhuria, to cash in on the sympathy factor.

Pilot did not mince words to emphasise that Government is vitiating social harmony by fuelling an atmosphere of insecurity and intolerance in the country.
"Madhya Pradesh Government has given free run to corruption. Vyapam scam has exposed the claims of BJP's promise for zero tolerance for corruption. It has been proven after the scam that it was nothing but a hollow promise or an eye wash," Pilot said, adding that situation in Rajasthan is not much different.