Pune: The city unit of Congress party on Saturday (January 16) conducted protests in a ‘hatke’ style against the steep hike in fuel prices in the city as well as country. The party leaders and workers carried their two-wheelers along with them during the protests and demanded a roll back of the fuel prices.
The central and state government have levied various taxes and cess on the fuel prices due to which the rate at which the fuel is available to common citizens has gone beyond Rs 91 per litre for petrol and Rs 80 per litre for diesel.
Pune City Congress workers protests against fuel price hike in ‘hatke’ style; demand roll back
The Congress party had organised protest under the leadership of Adv Abhay Chajed, General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. Congress party workers raised slogans against the central government and demanded a roll back of fuel prices.
Chajed said, “The then UPA government had provided fuel to citizens at afforadable rates even when the international prices of crude oil were at its peak. Now, during the NDA government, even though the international prices are low, citizens are being forced to shell out more money from their pockets.”
“During the UPA government, Smriti Irani used to protest on road, but she is missing in action now when their own government has increased the fuel prices,” he added.
Other Congress leaders including Sanjay Balgude, Aaba Bagul, Kamal Vyavahare, Sonali Marne, Vishal Malke, Sudhir Kale, Bandu Nalawade, Ramesh Sonkamble were present during the protests.