The Congress on Monday staged a silent dharna in front of the Central Intelligence office here in protest against continuous hike in petrol and diesel prices.
PCC president Niranjan Patnaik led the dharna from 10 am to 12 pm on the advice of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, said a party release.
“During the Congress-led UPA II regime in 2011, petrol and diesel prices per litre were Rs 78 and Rs 73, respectively, while crude oil price at the international market was $107 per barrel. Now, diesel and petrol cost Rs 80 and Rs 81 per liter, respectively, even as he crude oil price has come down to $42 per barrel. It is very disappointing that the Union and State Government have increased VAT and excise duties unbearably,” said Patnaik.
He said the hike in fuel prices have put extra burden on people who have already been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Later, a team sent a memorandum to the President through the Additional District Magistrate, Bhubaneswar.
Among others, Jayadeb Jena, Pradeep Majhi, Jagannath Patnaik, Anant Prasad Sethi, Ramchandra Khuntia, Suresh Routray, Sharat Rout, Shibananda Ray, Bijaylaxmi Sahoo, Bipin Das, Amiya Kumar Patnaik, Shriyasmita Panda, Subhashree Panda, Pranati Mishra, TGpas Sethi, Nasir Ahmed Khan and Chaitali Patnaik participated.
