Indore: Congress leaders took out a cycle rally from Nehru Statue at Madhumilan Square to Gandhi Statue at Regal Square on Wednesday, to protest against the continuous surge in fuel prices. Former higher education minister Jitu Patwari, MLAs Sanjay Shukla and Vishal Patel, city Congress president Vinay Bakliwal along with other readers paddled the cycle and later submitted memorandum addressing the President and Prime Minister at Divisional Commissioner's office.
“BJP had come to power with the claims of pulling down the inflation rate. Narendra Modi had said that he will bring the price of Dollar and Rupee to equal but instead he has leveled the price of diesel and petrol,” Patwari said.
He said that people are already facing loss in business, job, economic slowdown, and many others sectors. In such a situation, the hike in petrol and diesel prices by over Rs 10-12 in the last 20 days is an extra burden on them by Government. .
Meanwhile, Vinay Bakliwal said that fuel prices in international market is about $45 per barrel. The government has unnecessarily increased the prices. “Price of fuel in Manmohan Singh led Congress government in centre didn’t go over Rs 70 while prices in the international market was $135 per barrel,” he said.
Congress leaders said that they will launch a massive protest against the government if prices will not be decreased.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh along with his party leaders on Wednesday took out a cycle march in Bhopal and alleged that the hike is an "opportunity in a disaster" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress leaders started their march from Roshanpura intersection to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence.
Speaking to media, Singh said: "Today, when people are getting infected with COVID-19. Inflation is increasing and people are dying of hunger. The Central government has increased excise duty on petrol and diesel for the eighteenth consecutive day," Singh said.
"As Modi ji says, opportunity in disaster, for them (Centre) corona disaster is an opportunity to earn the money," he added.
Rate of petrol stands at about Rs 87.54 per liter and diesel at Rs 79.50 per liter.
