Congress gears up to launch nationwide protest against price rise

After the hike in LPG and continuous raise in diesel and petrol prices, the Congress has planned a three-phased agitation against the Centre. The party has made it mandatory for its leaders and workers to post the protests on social media.

Congress General Secretary Organisation K.C. Venugopal issued an internal circular to all the state units on Saturday.

"On 31st March, 2022 at 11 a.m., Congress leaders and workers, along with people will protest outside their homes and public places by garlanding gas cylinders, scooters/bikes, empty petrol/diesel cans, etc., and also post these activities on various social media platforms, to draw the attention of the deaf BJP government against the insurmountable increase in prices of gas-petrol-diesel," the circular said.

The circular further said, "People of India have been betrayed, duped and deceived by Modi Government. After keeping the prices of petrol, diesel, gas cylinder, piped natural gas (PNG) & CNG unchanged for 137 days to secure the votes of people, last one week has been a nightmare for budget of every household."

"Between 2nd to 4th April, 2022 at 11 a.m. there will be 'Mehngai Mukt Bharat Dharna & March' with participation of people at the district headquarters, organised by the DCCs.

"On 7th April, 2022 at 11 a.m. Congress workers, frontal organisations, departments and cells, along with labour associations, unions and civil society groups will hold a similar 'Mehngai Mukt Bharat Dharna & March' at the state headquarters, organised by the PCCs."

The state-owned oil marketing companies (OMC) hiked the fuel prices again on Sunday for the fifth time in the last six days.

These prices were revised for the very first time on Tuesday (March 22) after a gap of more than four months.

Accordingly, the increase in selling price which includes state levies, central excise and cess amongst others, came days after crude oil prices saw astronomical rise due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.