Punjab: Congress holds statewide protest over rise in fuel prices

Referring to the farmers agitation, he alleged that the Centre had enacted three black laws to encourage black market and destroy the agriculture sector.The farmers from different states have been camping at the Delhi borders for the past two months to get the contentious laws repealed.

The Punjab Congress on Thursday held statewide protests against the rising prices of fuel and cooking gas.

Carrying placards, the Congress activists staged sit-ins at many places and shouted slogans against the BJP-led Union government.

Leading a protest at Abohar in Fazilka, state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar alleged that every section of the society is "suffering" due to the "wrong" policies of the BJP-led regime.

Jakhar said when the Congress was in power in 2014, the price of crude oil in the international market was USD 104 per barrel and now it is around USD 60 per barrel but prices of fuel are being hiked.

"As a result, consumers in Punjab alone are facing an additional financial burden of Rs 750 crore every month," he said.

He also criticised the Union petroleum minister for blaming the oil companies for the rising prices.

Jakhar said the Modi government has also increased the price of cooking gas "drastically" while the subsidy on cylinders has been reduced by 90 per cent as compared to what it was in 2014. Referring to the farmers' agitation, he alleged that the Centre had enacted three "black" laws to encourage "black market and destroy the agriculture sector".

The farmers from different states have been camping at the Delhi borders for the past two months to get the contentious laws repealed. "But Iron nails have been laid on the roads to prevent 'anndata' from entering Delhi," he stated.

In Phagwara, the ruling Congress workers staged a sit-in outside the SDM's office from 11 am till 1 pm.

Local Congress leaders flayed the Union government for having "miserably failed" in checking spiraling prices of fuel and cooking gas. They said the life of the common man has become difficult as these prices have burnt a hole in his pocket.

"Even though prices of crude oil at international level are very low, prices of fuel are going up," they said.

"During the Congress-led government at the Centre, the prices of fuel and cooking gas remained stable and affordable even though the international price of per barrel crude oil was then high," they claimed.

They also raised the issue of the farmers' protest and demanded the repeal of the legislations.

In Amritsar, Congress activists under the leadership of MLA Raj Kumar Verka organised a protest and raised "anti-BJP" slogans.

Slamming the BJP government for rising fuel prices, Verka said, "This is another step to plunder the economically poor people of the nation." He described rising fuel prices as a "severe setback" to people at the time of economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Hoshiarpur, Congress workers warned the Centre to reduce prices of fuel and cooking gas, otherwise, they will intensify their agitation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)