Congress stage protest against rising fuel prices

The Congress kicked off nationwide street protests against fuel and cooking gas price hikes on Thursday. Leading a protest by Congress MPs on the issue at Vijay Chowk in Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on  said the rise in petrol and diesel prices has been unprecedented and demanded its roll back. Common man is the most affected due to this, he said. Congress MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha carrying placards raised slogans against the government and sat on a dharna against the fuel price hike. Among those present included Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.. The party organised protests in various states. 

Petrol and diesel prices were on Thursday hiked by 80 paise a litre each, taking the total increase in rates in the last 10 days to Rs 6.40 per litre. Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending upon local taxation. This is the ninth increase in prices since the ending of a four-and-half-month long hiatus in rate revision on March 22.