Condemning the failure of the Union Government in checking the soaring prices of essential commodities and its apathy towards the hardships of the people, members of the Congress staged a demonstration in Dharwad on Saturday.
Staging the demonstration at Jayanagar Circle, the Congress workers offered ‘shraddhanjali’ (tribute) to domestic LPG cylinders, petrol, and diesel to symbolically register their protest against the Government’s inaction.
Addressing the protesters, Congress leader Nagaraj Gouri said that during the elections to the five States, the BJP assured ‘acche din’ (good days) to the people and soon after the elections were won, it had allowed a steep hike in fuel prices and LPG.
“In the last 10 days, the prices of petrol and diesel have gone up by ₹12 per litre, while the cooking gas is nearing the ₹1,000 mark. Due to the Government’s failure, the common people are being forced face hardships,” he said.
Mr. Gouri said that at a time when people were just recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and were trying to rebuild their lives, the Government was rubbing salt on their wounds by letting the price rise go unchecked.
Congress leaders Pandurang Neeralakeri, Vasant Arkachar, Anand Singhnath, and others alleged that to cover up its failure the BJP Governments were raking up communal issues to divide the society. Their (BJP leaders) objective was to divert the attention of the people from real issues by raking up emotional issues, they alleged.
Meanwhile, protests against rise in prices of essential commodities were held by various organisations. On Thursday, members of the CPI(M) staged a demonstration before mini-Vidhana Soudha in Hubballi.
On Wednesday, members of SUCI(C) staged a demonstration in Dharwad against the soaring prices.
