TMC women activists hold protest march in Kolkata over LPG price hike

Women activists of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) staged a protest march in Kolkata on Sunday against the recent increase in LPG cylinder prices, clanging utensils to symbolically highlight the hardships faced by households due to rising cooking gas costs.According to information,the procession began from Subodh Mullick Square in central Kolkata and saw participation from several party leaders, including West Bengal ministers Chandrima Bhattacharya and Shashi Panja, along with party MP Mala Roy, women councillors and other supporters.Dressed in black as a mark of protest, the demonstrators marched through the area while beating utensils, a gesture meant to draw attention to the growing burden on women who largely manage household kitchens.The protest comes a day after the price of domestic cooking gas was increased by Rs60 per cylinder, marking the second hike within a year amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: Women wing of TMC protest against the central government over the hike in prices of commercial LPG & domestic LPG cylinders pic.twitter.com/gxwuCNYExA

— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2026

TMC leaders alleged that the rise in LPG prices, coupled with increasing costs of essential commodities, has made it increasingly difficult for families to manage their monthly household budgets.Addressing the gathering, minister Shashi Panja said that the hike has pushed the price of a cooking gas cylinder close to Rs1,000, placing a heavy burden on ordinary households. She said kitchens are primarily managed by women and questioned how families would cook and feed their members if fuel prices continue to rise.Panja added that the utensils carried by the protesters symbolised the growing difficulty households face in preparing food due to rising LPG prices.The demonstrators also raised concerns about how families would cope with rising cooking expenses if the prices of LPG cylinders continue to increase. Party leaders said the agitation would continue until the government rolls back the latest price hike.