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."
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.
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.
Similar protests were witnessed by the Karnataka Congress led by state party chief DK Shivakumar and former CM Siddaramaiah.
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.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)