Rahul Gandhi Leads Congress MPs in Protest Outside Parliament Over Fuel Prices

This comes even as state-run oil marketing companies hiked fuel prices today for the 9th time in the last 10 days.

Congress MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, 31 March, staged a protest outside Parliament against the rising prices of fuel and demanded its rollback.

Speaking to media after the protest, Gandhi said: "The Congress is protesting nationwide against the fuel price hike and we demand a rollback as the government is filling its coffers while the common man is suffering."

भाजपा राज में कमरतोड़ महंगाई के कारण आज जनता गैस-डीजल-पेट्रोल नहीं भरवा पा रही है।

श्रद्धांजलि…#MehangaiMuktBharat pic.twitter.com/EyOWWycm23

— Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) March 31, 2022

This comes even as state-run Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) hiked the fuel prices again on Thursday for the ninth time in the last ten days.

Joined my party colleagues in garlanding an empty gas cylinder on the lawn of Vijay Chowk! Alongside @BennyBehananMP pic.twitter.com/9oaaao4U6R

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 31, 2022

चुनाव के दौरान फोन कॉल/आपसी सहमति/आदेश से पेट्रोल-डीजल-रसोई गैस की कीमतें बढ़नी रुक जाती हैं।

चुनाव खत्म होते ही सरकार जनता की जेब पर डाका डालने लगती है।

भाजपा सरकार को जनता को बताना चाहिए कि वह कौन सी विधि है जिससे चुनाव के समय पेट्रोलियम पदार्थों के दाम नहीं बढ़ते…1/2 pic.twitter.com/x5LW4zJ0CG

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 31, 2022

Protests Outside Delhi

Meanwhile, state units of the Congress led protests against rising fuel prices in consonance with the party's central leadership.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath joined a protest in Bhopal against the escalation of petrol and diesel prices. He was also seen garlanding LPG cylinders.

.@INCMP प्रदेशाध्यक्ष @OfficeOfKNath के नेतृत्व में कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं ने भोपाल में गैस सिलेंडर पर माला चढ़ाकर #MehangaiMuktBharat अभियान का आगाज किया।

कांग्रेस का प्रत्येक कार्यकर्ता भाजपा निर्मित महंगाई के खिलाफ संघर्ष जारी रखेगा। pic.twitter.com/fVMttDbN0F

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 31, 2022

Similar protests were witnessed by the Karnataka Congress led by state party chief DK Shivakumar and former CM Siddaramaiah.

Raging prices?
Ravaging policies?
Worry not!
Congress is waging a war against them all.

Visuals of #MehangaiMuktBharat protests by @INCKarnataka under the leadership of PCC President Shri @DKShivakumar & former CM Shri @siddaramaiah. pic.twitter.com/NAZwXSwHVx

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 31, 2022

The Tamil Nadu Congress unit also organised protests in the state.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that she will participate in a protest against the price hike in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, as per a report by ANI.

3-Phase Congress Protest

The Congress on Saturday, 26 March, had announced that it will launch 'Mehngai Mukt Bharat Abhiyan,' a three-phase protest against rising fuel prices, across India between 31 March and 7 April.

The statement had said that on 31 March at 11 am, Congressmen and people will protest outside their homes and public places with garlanded gas cylinders and play drums and other instruments to draw the attention of the "deaf BJP government against the insurmountable increase in prices of gas, petrol, and diesel".

The Congress statement added that between 2 and 4 April, there will be a district level 'Mehngai Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' protest and march, and on 7 April, the same will take place at state headquarters.

(With inputs from IANS and ANI.)