Maharashtra: Petrol sold for Rs 1 per litre in Solapur to protest rising prices

To protest against rising prices of petroleum products and also to mark Dr B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, a local organization sold petrol at just Rs 1 per litre to 500 persons in Maharashtra's Solapur city on Thursday.

Every buyer was given only a litre of the fuel. Still, people thronged the petrol pump, leading to serpentine queues. Police were also deployed to control the crowd.

The program had been organized by Dr Ambedkar Students and Youth Panthers.

"Inflation has risen sharply. The price of petrol has reached Rs 120 per litre under the Narendra Modi government. So to give relief to people and celebrate Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's birth anniversary, we decided to give petrol at the rate of one rupee," said Mahesh Sarvagoda, the outfit's state unit leader.

"If a small organization like ours can provide relief to 500 people, the government should also provide relief," he added.

"I was happy to buy petrol at this price. I saved a bit of money amid inflation which is scaling new heights every day," said one buyer.