Congress protests in Chandigarh over fuel price hike, inflation

Congress workers on Thursday staged a protest at Punjab Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh against the Central government over inflation and a steep rise in fuel prices over the last few days.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other party leaders were also part of the protest.

Congress workers mocked the Central government by garlanding cylinders at the protest site.

The workers of the grand old party have been staging protests across the country. Congress workers protested against the fuel price hike in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.

"We have organised such protests across the country. They (BJP-led Centre) decreased the prices before polls and increased soon after polls got over. Poor is the worst affected," a Congress worker at the protest site said.

Amid the ongoing second half of the Budget Session, both Houses of Parliament have witnessed adjournments after disruptions by Opposition over inflation and fuel price hike.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused the Central government of not having an answer on inflation and said that this led to the adjournment of the House.

"We asked for a discussion on public issues but no heed was paid. Since the Central government had no answer on inflation, they adjourned the Parliament. They are making excuses of the Russia-Ukraine crisis for a fuel price hike."

Taking a jibe at the Central government, Chowdhury termed the constant hikes as a " morning gift."

"It's quite ironic that the Finance Minister has said that they're getting crude oil at lower prices from Russia but every day, we're getting a morning gift in form of a fuel price hike," he said.

With another hike of Rs 2.5 per kilogram on Thursday, the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has zoomed by Rs 9.10 per kg in the last six days.

Notably, the CNG prices were increased by the same amount on Wednesday also. With today's hike, CNG in Delhi would now cost Rs 69.11 per kg.

Meanwhile, after a hike of Rs 10 in the price of petrol and diesel over the last 16 days, the fuel rates were not increased on Thursday.

Petrol in the national capital crossed the Rs 105 mark yesterday, whereas, in Mumbai, it has surpassed Rs 120.

( With inputs from ANI )