BRS netas hold protests over hike in gas cylinders prices

Hyderabad: Telangana's ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) protests across the state against the hike in price of cooking gas continued for the second consecutive day on Friday.

Ministers, MPs, state legislators and BRS leaders led the protest at various places.

On a call given by BRS working president KT Rama Rao, protests were organised in headquarters of all Assembly constituencies.

Carrying posters and raising slogans against the BJP-led government, the protestors either staged sit-in or took out rallies. They also cooked food on firewood as a mark of protest.

The ruling party held a massive protest near Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund in Hyderabad. State Home minister Mohammed Mehmood Ali participated in the protest organised by local MLA Danam Nagender.

Large number of women with empty cylinders participated in the protest, demanding the Centre to roll-back the hike.

Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar led a huge protest in Khammam. He slammed the Modi government at the Centre for further burdening the common man with another hike in LPG price.

At Tallada in Khammam district, MLA Sandra Venkat Veeraiah led the protest. He carried firewood on his head as a symbolic protest.

Innovative protests were seen at some places as the protestors "hanged' cylinders or carried out "funeral procession".

Leading the protest at Jubilee Bus Station in Secunderabad, Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav demanded that the Modi government should step down for failing to check prices.

He alleged, "The government was increasing the prices of LPG to shield Ambani and Adani."

Yadav claimed that the BJP will lose the 2024 elections.

On Thursdasy, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi leaders including the Ministers on Thursday took to streets to protest against the hike in the prices of LPG cylinders across the State. The Ministers staged dharna at different places in the State with empty LPG cylinders and cooking on the roads. The Finance Minister T Harish Rao took part in the dharna at Ghatkesar in Medchal district. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the subsidy on cylinders was Rs 350 during the 2014 but the BJP government made it to almost zero. This is the second time in the year when the prices of commercial cylinders were increased.

The BJP government was breaking the back of the common people by decreasing the funds in the welfare programmes. "Why is Modi holding Chai pe Charcha'? Increasing the prices was not a burden on the Chaiwalas? He should hold charcha at Chai Bandi and explain to them how they increased the cylinder price from Rs 400 to Rs 1100," said Harish Rao. Stating that in the coming days there were elections in Karnataka and cautioned that the Centre would increase again after the elections.

He called upon the people to kick out the BJP leaders coming for 'Galli meetings'. Similarly, Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav led the dharna at Mahatma Gandhi Road at Secunderabad along with the party leaders including women, who were cooking on the roads on wooden logs. Addressing the protestors, Yadav said that the BJP, which was breaking the backs of the people by increasing the prices, has no right to stay in power. He said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi should step down immediately raising slogans of 'Modi hatao... Deshbachao', roll back the price hike.

He called upon the people particularly the women folks to stop the BJP leaders wherever they visit. The prices which were Rs 410.50 during the year 2014 have become Rs 1,155. During the last eight year the prices have increased by Rs 745. The increase in prices of cylinders would increase the prices of essential commodities, he said. The subsidy money allocated in 2019 was Rs 22,726 Crore but now it is Rs 180 Crore. He also alleged that the Centre was adopting a step motherly attitude towards the Telangana State.

The party leaders took up the protest at LB Nagar led by the BRS MLA D Sudheer Reddy. The party leaders held placards stating the Modi government was giving financial assistance to the oil companies but imposing burden on the women folks and Modi is for friendship with Adani, 'why prices imposed on us when there is loss to Adani', lakhs of crores of interest waiver for corporate but burden of crores of rupees on common people etc.