Tirupati: Congress activists stage protest against hike in fuel prices

Tirupati: Protesting against ever increasing fuel prices, Congress activists staged a novel protest here on Monday.

The activists led by PCC general secretary Doddareddy Rambhupal Reddy and secretary Penubala Chandrasekhar, drove a tricycle goods carrier at the busy municipal office junction blaming the Centre for the continuous hike of petrol and diesel prices adding more to the woes of common people.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) strongly condemned the Centre for remaining aloof on the fuel price hike which was increased daily for several days. The AICC gave a call to party activists to organise protests nationwide against fuel price hike to press the Centre to withdraw the petrol and diesel price hike.

Speaking on the occasion, Rambhupal and Chandrasekhar said that when the Congress-UPA government was in power, the price of crude oil was US$ 108 per barrel which had fallen to US$ 43.41 per barrel as on June 24.

Despite the decline of 60 percent in the price of crude oil, BJP government raised the prices of diesel and petrol sky high, they said demanding the immediate roll back of petrol and diesel prices and excise duty increased post 5th March this year. They demanded the Union government to pass on these benefits to the people of the country.