Mumbai: A case was registered at the Vikhroli police station in Mumbai against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut and former corporator Rashmi Pahudkar, as per reports on Friday morning. The case was filed under relevant BNS sections for holding a protest in the Vikhroli area of Mumbai without police permission.
The protest, which blocked traffic on the busy Eastern Expressway, was held to oppose the recent hike in gas prices. Along with Raut, former corporator and fellow Sena UBT leader Rashmi Pahudkar was been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for participating in the unauthorised demonstration.
According to Mumbai Police, the protest caused a major traffic jam on the Eastern Expressway, leading to the detention of the leaders and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under BNS sections 223, 126(2), and 37(1), as reported by news agency IANS.
CNG & PNG Price Hike In MMR
The protest was triggered by the recent increase in prices of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and piped cooking gas (PNG) in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Starting April 9, CNG prices were hiked by Rs 1.50 per kilogram, while household piped gas saw a rise of Rs 1 per unit. Following the price revision, CNG now costs Rs 79.50 per kg, and piped gas is priced at Rs 49 per unit in Mumbai, Thane, and nearby areas.
Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) attributed the hike to the rising cost of domestic gas and fluctuations in the exchange rate. A senior MGL official explained that the price adjustments were necessary to offset increasing operational costs.
The price hike has sparked political backlash. Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut strongly criticised the Maharashtra government, pointing out the inconsistency between global crude prices, currently on the decline and the rising domestic gas rates. He argued that the financial benefits of falling international prices should be passed on to Indian consumers.
Raut also took aim at BJP leaders, particularly women leaders who had previously protested against gas price hikes during the UPA regime. He called on them to show the same enthusiasm now and join the Shiv Sena's protests. Additionally, he criticised Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, stating that the government's failure to reduce gas prices was “adding fuel to the fire” for common citizens.
