Maharashtra Congress leaders led by state party chief Nana Patole took out a bicycle rally to the Vidhan Bhavan here on Monday to protest against the rise in fuel prices.
Maharashtra ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Aslam Shaikh and Yashomati Thakur and Mumbai Congress chief Ashok alias Bhai Jagtap were among the leaders who took part in the rally ahead of the commencement of the state Legislature's budget session on Monday.
Talking to reporters near Mahatma Gandhi's statue located close to Mantralaya (state secretariat), from where the rally began, Patole accused the Centre of mocking people and committing the "sin" of snatching food from the mouth of the common man with the rise in fuel prices.
"The state government has made the life of the common man difficult due to the rise in petrol price...the Centre is mocking the people," Patole alleged.
Hence, as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike, the Congress leaders reached the Vidhan Bhavan on bicycles, he said.
Patole also condemned Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's reported statement that fuel prices will go down once the winter ends, accusing him of mocking the people.
The state Congress chief also said there is anger among people over the rise in prices.
Meanwhile, MLAs of the BJP and Congress were seen engaged in a slogan war outside the Vidhan Bhavan.
Legislators of the ruling Congress in Maharashtra termed the Centre as a "plunderer" over price rise, while MLAs of the opposition BJP targeted the Uddhav Thackeray-led government on various issues related to the state.
