Congress leaders to protest fuel price hike on Friday

The Congress will hold symbolic protests in front of petrol pumps across the country on Friday against the increasing petrol and diesel prices, demanding withdrawal of the hike in fuel prices.

New Delhi:Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal, General Secretaries KC Venugopal, Harish Rawat and Ajay Maken will lead the protests on Friday at various locations in the national capital against the hike in the fuel prices.

Along with senior leaders, young leaders like Gaurav Gogoi, Devendra Yadav, Delhi in charge Shakti Singh Gohil will also take part in the protest in the National Capital.

The Congress has planned to hold symbolic protests in front of petrol pumps across the country on Friday against the rising prices of petrol and diesel, demanding withdrawal of the hike in fuel prices.

After the Congress party announced protests across the national capital, expressing concern over petrol price touching Rs 100 per litre in Karnataka, the Congress state unit would protest the steep hike in fuel rates from Friday, its state chief D.K. Shivakumar said on Thursday.

"Hundreds of our party leaders, lawmakers and cadres will stage protests at about 5,000 petrol stations in cities and towns across the state from Friday against the soaring fuel prices," Shivakumar said.

In Bengaluru, senior leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, Ramalinga Reddy and others will stage a protest.

KC Venugopal, in a statement, said: "The BJP government has increased excise duty by Rs 23.87 per litre on petrol and Rs 28.37 on diesel in comparison to the previous UPA government.

The 5-day protest will be held under the "100 not out campaign" in all 30 districts of the state.

Because of the wrong policies and hefty taxes, petrol prices in many parts of the country have crossed Rs 100 per litre these days, while diesel prices are on the verge of reaching Rs 100 per litre. Everyone knows about the cascading effect of inflation of petrol and diesel on all kinds of essential commodities.

"The wrong priorities and anti-people policies of the BJP government can also be gauged from the fact that in the last 13 months of the Corona epidemic, the prices of petrol and diesel have been increased by an unprecedented Rs 25.97 and Rs 24.18 respectively.

In just last 5 months alone, the prices of petrol and diesel have been increased by 44 times, which is a living example of loot from the public by the BJP government at the Centre.

State-run oil marketing firms in Karnataka have cumulatively increased the retail price of petrol by Rs 25.72 per litre and diesel by Rs 23.93 per litre over the weeks amid the pandemic's second wave across the country.

Members of the opposition party's frontal wings, including Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, Kisan Congress, National Student Union of India (NSUI), and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) will participate in the protest.

(IANS)