Congress takes out protest march in Mumbai over price rise issue, slams Centre

The BJP leaders, who would take to the streets over price rise when in opposition, have now disappeared. No BJP leader is talking about price rise, Thorat alleged, according to the statement. Congress leaders and workers raised slogans against the central government and price rise during the protest.

The Maharashtra Congress on Thursday took out a protest march here over the rising fuel rates and inflation, and warned it will make the BJP-led government at the Centre “run helter-skelter” if soaring prices of essential commodities are not brought under control to provide relief to common citizens.

State Congress president Nana Patole led the march -- taken out from Bhavans College (in Girgaum) to August Kranti Maidan here, a party statement said.

The march and subsequent rally at the Maidan were the culmination of the Congress's week-long protest over the price rise issue.

Maharashtra Ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Nitin Raut and party leaders Naseem Khan, Chandrakant Handore and others took part in the rally.

Speaking on the occasion, Patole accused the Centre of ''looting'' the people by consistently increasing the prices of petroleum products and other essential items.

“The Modi government at the Centre is atrocious and the Congress is fighting consistently against the atrocity…The prices of petrol, diesel, gas, edible oil and other essential commodities have gone beyond the common people's control,” the statement quoted Patole as saying.

“Stop the price rise, or else, we will make the 'Alibaba and Forty Thieves' government of the BJP, which is looting the people, run helter-skelter,” he added.

The Congress MLA said the protest was “a warning” to the Modi government over the price rise issue.

Referring to the historical significance of the August Kranti Maidan, Patole said Mahatma Gandhi had, from the venue in 1942, asked Britishers to quit India and the colonial rulers had to leave the country.

The call given against the price rise from the same Maidan will force the government in Delhi to listen and take note of the issues raised by the party, he said.

Thorat said the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014 promising to bring down prices of essential commodities.

“But the situation turned opposite after it came to power. The BJP leaders, who would take to the streets over price rise when in opposition, have now disappeared. No BJP leader is talking about price rise,” Thorat alleged, according to the statement. Congress leaders and workers raised slogans against the central government and price rise during the protest. PTI ENM RSY RSY