Rahul Gandhi demands fuel prices rollback, leads protest against hike

Congress on Thursday held nationwide protests against fuel price hikes with MPs led by Rahul Gandhi holding demonstrations in the national capital and a number of Mahila Congress activists managing to reach Parliament Gate with their protest.

In the morning, Congress MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha held the protest at Vijay Chowk near Parliament, carrying placards and raising slogans against the Narendra Modi government for the rise in fuel prices, as part of the party's 'Mehngai Mukt Bharat' agitation.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury among others were present at the protest.

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Around 1:30 PM, Mahila Congress activists managed to reach Parliament Gate and shouted slogans. Security forces immediately cordoned them off and later were detained by Delhi Police. For a brief period, the gates of Parliament were closed

Addressing the media, Rahul demanded the rollback on increase in prices of fuel, saying the rise has been unprecedented.

"Our demand is that the government should control prices and stop raising petrol and diesel prices. The poor and middle class have been worst hit by the hike. We can see that petrol and diesel prices are climbing rapidly. The government is making thousands of crores from this. Congress is protesting across the country against this price rise of petrol and diesel. The government has to stop doing this. It has to ensure that prices do not rise," he said.

"I had said that when elections will be over, the prices of petrol and diesel will be rising and had asked people to fill up their tanks," he added.

Gandhi shared on Twitter petrol rates in countries in the Indian subcontinent. "Petrol Rate in Indian Rupees (Rs) Afghanistan: 66.99. Pakistan: 62.38. Sri Lanka: 72.96. Bangladesh: 78.53. Bhutan: 86.28. Nepal: 97.05. India: 101.81. Don't ask questions to the 'Fakir', who shares knowledge on the camera. Loots India while carrying a bag full of 'jumlas' (rhetoric)," Gandhi tweeted.

Petrol and diesel prices were on Thursday hiked by 80 paise a litre each, taking the total increase in rates in the last 10 days to Rs 6.40 per litre. This was the ninth increase in ten days.

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