Cong workers protest against fuel price hike, 40 detained

Rajkot: At least 40 Congress party workers, including a few corporators of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC), were detained for staging protest against rising prices of petrol and diesel at Trikon Baugh in Rajkot on Wednesday.
The protests were organised by the opposition party across 18 wards of RMC. The Congress workers had rode bullock carts from each of the 18 wards and gathered at Trikon Baugh for a public meeting. Through out the protest the Congress workers were shouting slogans against the ruling Vijay Rupani government. The protesters demanding reduction in fuel prices, carried placards displaying comparison of prices of petrol and diesel during the UPA and BJP regimes.
Leader of opposition in RMC Vashram Sagahtiya said, “The police did not allow us to reach out to the people. They intercepted our bullock carts and detained our workers. The police are behaving at the behest of the ruling BJP and are trying intimidate us.”
Meanwhile, the leaders of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS)’s Rajkot unit also registered its protest on high fuel prices by taking out procession on horse and bicycles near the collector’s office. They also submitted memorandum demanding reduction in fuel price.
BKS president Dilip Sakhiya said, “The government increased fuel price at the time when the people are already reeling under financial cruch.
Many are facing unemployment because of lockdown. It's unbearable to see people being burdened more with increase in fuel prices. This has also increased the input cost for farmers.” He added, “The government had promised to double farmers’ income by 2022. But under the current situation we feel that farmer’s input cost will surely increase significantly.”