Indian Congress organizes bicycle yatra in Patna to protest rising fuel prices

The Congress Party is set to organize a bicycle yatra in Patna, Bihar’s capital city, to protest against the rising fuel prices across the country. Mohan Prakash, the party’s national spokesperson, said this was part of their ongoing nationwide agitational programme against soaring fuel prices and increasing inflation.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which is the opposition party in Bihar, will stage a protest against the rising fuel prices at all blocks and district headquarters on July 18 and 19, respectively, party officials.

Prakash told PTI, on Thursday, that Congress workers will take out a cycle rally in Patna on July 17. He said the BJP-led central government has failed to curtail inflation rates and surges in essential commodities, and no effective methods have been adopted in order to check the hike in prices. The Congress spokesperson pointed out that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has avoided its responsibilities towards the people during the pandemic.

Prakash highlighted that at the time when India is going through a deep economic recession, the inflation has gone into double digits. “Why have crores of people lost their livelihoods and jobs over the last one year? The Modi government is guilty of distressing the poor, middle class and the marginalized.” He added that the Modi-led government has been working for the corporates ever since coming to power in 2014.

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West Bengal has also recorded a wave of protests. On Wednesday, petrol pump associations across Kolkata protested. There were no fuel sales at 530 petrol pumps from 7 to 7.30pm in Kolkata and Howrah. “If petrol and diesel prices keep going up like this, the kitchens in our homes will catch fire. Rs 3.71 lakh crore revenue has been earned by the Centre from taxes that it took from people. Don’t you think the Narendra Modi government is cutting the pockets of people and filling its own?” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.