Congress leaders stage protest against rising fuel prices

Congress MPs led by Rahul Gandhi on Thursday staged a protest against the fuel price hike at Vijay Chowk here and sought its roll back.

Congress MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha carrying placards raised slogans against the government and sat on a dharna against the rise in price of petrol, diesel and LPG gas.

Among those present included Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

The Congress is also launching a week-long countrywide protest against inflation and rise in fuel prices. Petrol and diesel prices were on Thursday hiked by 80 paise a litre each, taking the total increase in rates in the last 10 days to Rs 6.40 per litre.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending upon the incidence of local taxation.

This is the ninth increase in prices since the ending of a four-and-half-month long hiatus in rate revision on March 22.