Shimla: Himachal Congress on Friday staged a symbolic protest against the sharp rise in the prices of petrol, diesel and gas in the country and demanded the government to withdraw this price hike in the public interest.
Congress leaders including Secretary, State Affairs, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Sanjay Dutt, HPCC President Kuldeep Singh Rathore, Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, Shimla District Rural President Yashwant Chhajta, Urban President Jitendra Chaudhary rode bicycles from HPCC headquarters Rajiv Bhawan, Shimla to a petrol pump in Kaithu locality of Shimla.
Congress has warned the government to launch a mass movement if the government fails to withdraw these hiked prices.
While addressing the media at Rajiv Bhawan, Sanjay Dutt said that various protests are being staged throughout the country under the leadership of Congress National President Sonia Gandhi and under the guidance of Rahul Gandhi.
He said that the poor and common people are sick and tired of the anti-people policies of the Modi government.
“On one hand, people are already suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic while on the other hand, the rising inflation has broken the back of the people,” said Dutt.
He said that the central government is waiving the loans of thousands of crores of the rich and wealthy by looting the hard-earned money of the poor. He alleged that the ruling government is anti-farmer and the Congress will not back down from the fight for the rights of the poor and the farmers.
Dutt has also sought an account of the money collected from the general public from the central government. He said that the Modi government should tell the country where it spent has spent these funds.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Singh Rathore has accused BJP leaders and workers of flouting COVID-19 protocols.
He said that today while there is a sharp fall in the prices of crude oil at the international level, its prices are being increased every day in the country. He said that due to this rising inflation, the common and poor people are upset and the government is not worried about it.
Mukesh Agnihotri has also blamed the government for rising inflation and said that BJP came into power by promising to control inflation but its promise has proved to be bogus.
He further said that scheme of providing ration at cheaper rates which was started by Congress government are dying out.
