Madhya Pradesh Congress to stage protest against fuel price, new farm laws on December 19

Bhopal, Dec 17: The opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh is all set to hold a statewide protest on Saturday against the rise in fuel prices and the Centre's three new farm laws, state party spokesman Bhupendra Gupta said on Thursday.

Speaking to media, Gupta claimed the prices of fuel and cooking gas have hit the roof and that farmers across the country want the agri laws to be repealed.

"We are going to demonstrate near the statues of Mahatma Gandhi in the state on December 19. Protests will be held at every district and block level," he said.

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State Congress president and former chief minister Kamal Nath also hit out at the government. "Cooking (LPG) gas cylinders price has shot up by Rs 100 recently after the rates of petrol and diesel skyrocketed. There is no trace of (cooking gas) subsidy. This time around, a BJP government fuelling inflation has come," Nath tweeted on Wednesday.

Thousands of farmers have been camping at border points of Delhi since November 26 to protest against the three new farm laws enacted by the central government.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court observed that the Centre's talks with the protesting farmers have "not worked apparently" and were bound to fail, and said it will form a committee having representatives of both the sides.