Fuel price protests continue across India

Bhubaneswar/ Lucknow/ Chandigarh, June 13: Protesters in different parts of the country took to streets to demonstrate against the Central Government's decision to hike fuel prices. Supporters of Biju Janata Dal took out a protest march in Orissa. Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that the Biju Janata Dal for the last five days has taken from village to the town the message of spiraling price rise.

Traders in Lucknow took out a semi-nude march to register their protest. They demanded an immediate rollback of the hike. "It is a shame that the trading community that pays most tax and that is the backbone of the economic system had to come to the street without clothes. The hike in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices is not acceptable to us," said Sandeep Bansal, President of the traders association of Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Punjab Transport Minister Mohan Lal took a cycle ride to a cabinet meeting in Chandigarh. "Being a Minister in the Punjab Government, I am lodging a protest. I want to request the Central Government that it should atleast take back the steep hike in cooking gas," he said. The Centre on June 4 had announced fuel price hike by about 10 per cent and a cylinder of cooking gas by 17 per cent, the biggest hike in fuel prices in 12 years.

ANI