Congress protests as petrol rate burns a hole in pocket

Holding the BJP government at the Centre responsible for the unchecked fuel prices, the Congress party sought the resignation of the minister.
Police detain NSUI members who were protesting outside residence of outgoing Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over fuel price hike in Delhi | Shekhar Yadav
Police detain NSUI members who were protesting outside residence of outgoing Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over fuel price hike in Delhi | Shekhar Yadav

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders and workers staged a protest outside the residence of outgoing Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday after the petrol price crossed an all-time high of Rs 100 per litre in the national capital.

Holding the BJP government at the Centre responsible for the unchecked fuel prices, the Congress party sought the resignation of the minister. Incidently, Pradhan tendered his resignation as the Petroleum Minister in the afternoon and was given the portfolio of  Education Ministry in the cabinet reshuffle in the evening.

The protest was led by the Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar, who was accompanied by unit’s vice president Ali Mehndi, Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress chief Amrita Dhawan, and former MLA Alka Lamba and several others.

“Frequent petrol and diesel price hikes, almost on a daily basis for the past many weeks, seems to have not affected the BJP government at the Centre, which is least concerned about the plight of the common man. 
The people have been financially distressed by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis and are in no position to bear the extra burden of oil price hikes,” said Kumar during the protest.

The Congress leader also criticised the BJP MPs from Delhi for not raising their voice against the price rise. “Seven BJP MPs are also not bothered about the people’s difficulties as their interaction with Delhiites remains confined to election-time. PM Narendra Modi, who poured out his “Man Ki Baat” in his radio address, never  spoke about the grave implications on people’s lives on account of the regular hikes in the prices of petrol and diesel,” he said.

pricey issue 
According to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers, petrol price was increased by 35 paise per litre and diesel by 23 paise a litre. In Delhi, petrol now costs `100.21 a litre and diesel is priced at `89.53 per litre

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