New Delhi, Jun 29 (UNI) Congress on Monday organised nationwide protests against the continuous hike in the prices of Petrol and Diesel by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and accused the latter of looting the common man and profiteering at their cost.
In a statement issued here, AICC General Secretary In-Charge for organisation K C Venugopal said, 'Congress today organised and undertook a nationwide agitation against the unmindful, insensitive and unprecedented hike in the prices of Petrol and Diesel, even as the price of international crude have been at a record low.
'The protests are aimed at underlining the Government's extortionist looting of the common Indian during the COVID-19 crisis by profiteering at their cost,' Mr Venugopal added.
He said as part of the mass protests, Congress workers across the country held Dharnas and demonstrations at the PCC and DCC level, while observing social distancing norms.
'Through various innovative protest programmes, including Dharnas and demonstrations at PCC and DCC level across the nation, the party members, while observing social distancing norms, highlighted the heavy burden being imposed upon the common people by the anti-people policies of the Central Government,' he said.
The event also included video messages from the top party leadership, addressed to the people and the party workers.
In a video message as part of the party's Social media campaign, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said, 'The government has set a new example of extortion from people through this unjustified increase in petrol and diesel prices. This is not only unjust, but also insensitive.'
She noted that the hike in fuel prices directly hurts the country's farmers, the poor, the working class, the middle class and the small businesses.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, 'The government has raised prices of petrol and diesel 22 times. You will have to pay more for buying fuel. Indirectly, you suffer when inflation rises due to a hike in petrol and diesel prices, even as the prices burn a hole directly in ones pocket every time one goes to a filling station.
'The price of crude oil is at an all-time low, but fuel prices have touched an all-time high in India,' he added.
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