Cong protests fuel price hike across region
The Congress held protests at petrol pumps across Punjab and Haryana on Friday against the rise in fuel prices, and demanded an immediate rollback of the hike.
Besides the steep hikes in rates of diesel and petrol, prices of other commodities of daily use like cooking oil and gas have also registered a manifold increase, senior leaders of the party said.
Protests were held at various places, including Amritsar, Mohali, Kurali, Patiala, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Panchkula, Hisar, Gurgaon, Kaithal, Ambala, Panipat, Karnal, Rohtak and Faridabad.
Leading a protest in Kurali, Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said: “The arrogant government at the Centre has constantly been increasing fuel prices instead of providing relief to the people during the current crisis. During the Congress-led UPA regime, despite international crude oil prices being very high, diesel prices hovered around ₹50, which is now near ₹90 per litre, while petrol is touching ₹100 per litre.”
In Amritsar, some protesters set fire to an old car, saying they wanted to send a message to the Centre that common people are unable to afford vehicles because of the high cost of fuel. Punjab Congress leader Raj Kumar Verka said the steep rise
in prices of petrol and diesel has broken the backs of the common people amid the Covid-19 pandemic
In Haryana’s Kaithal, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala led the protest. A bullock cart was seen pulling a
tractor there. Surjewala said prices of diesel and petrol are being increased at a time when the people of the country are battling the pandemic.he said the sharp rise in fuel prices has adversely hit various sections, including the farmers.