Guwahati, July 9 -- Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday alleged that the steep increase in the prices of eggs and several essential commodities in Assam is the result of an illegal "syndicate tax" or "Gunda Tax" allegedly collected from goods-laden trucks entering the state through the Assam-West Bengal border. He urged the state government to immediately break down the alleged network.

Speaking to reporters during a protest, the Raijor Dal leader claimed that eggs, currently retailing between Rs 8.50 and Rs 10 in Guwahati, should cost no more than Rs 5.75 per piece according to the benchmark rate set by the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC).

Gogoi alleged that trucks transporting goods into Assam through the Srirampur and B...