New Delhi, Mar 2 (IANS): Hundreds of Youth Congress activists on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Union Petroleum Ministry here over the rise in the prices of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), petrol and diesel saying the people were plagued by inflation while the government was showing arrogance.
The activists led by its national chief Srinivas B.V. and several senior leaders, including Congress national in-charge and Delhi Pradesh Congress in-charge Shakti Singh Gohil, NSUI national president Neeraj Kundan, party spokesperson Supriya Srinate, national secretary Pranav Jha, former national secretary Alka Lamba, assembled outside Shastri Bhawan here holding placards of LPG cylinders and several other posters.
The activists were detained by the Delhi Police after they tried to climb the barricades placed outside the Shastri Bhawan that houses the Petroleum Ministry.
Speaking to the media, Srinivas said, "The government is constantly giving jerks to the people who have been affected by its poor policies. In such an uneven situation, no government in the world would have persecuted its people as much as the BJP government is doing."
He said since December 1 last year, the price of LPG has been increased by Rs 225, and, "When the BJP was in opposition, they would hit the streets if there was an increase of Rs 5 on petrol, diesel and cooking gas, but now they are all silent.
"Today, the Youth Congress has tried to awaken them from sleep, petrol has crossed Rs 100, diesel has crossed Rs 90 in many parts of the country, and the prices of gas cylinders are increasing day by day," he said.
He said, "The BJP government has made a major dent in the Budget of the housewife and the common man."
Srinivas said that the people of the country had chosen Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Ministers on the promise of 'good days', now the trust of people has been broken.
He described Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's statement as "stupid" in which he attributed the 'winter season' to the rising prices of petrol and diesel.
He demanded that the excise duty on petrol and diesel should be reduced and the hiked price of LPG cylinders should also be withdrawn with immediate effect, otherwise the Petroleum Minister should resign from his post immediately.