BJP protests against fuel price hike in Amritsar

Amritsar, Feb 27(ANI): Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took out a bicycle rally in Amritsar on Saturday to protest against the hike in petroleum prices in the Budget.

The rally saw provincial lawmaker Anil Joshi with scores of workers ride bicycles, raising slogans against the Congress-led Union Government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and party chief Sonia Gandhi.

"All the (party) workers took out a rally on bicycles to protest against the hike in petrol and diesel prices (petroleum products). As a result of this hike, the prices of other commodities will go up. We can travel on bicycle but what we will eat," Joshi said.

The government has announced a hike in excise duty on petrol by one rupee.

Rising inflation, particularly food inflation, has sparked street protests and put political pressure on the Congress-led government to find a solution without hurting economic recovery.

Food prices rose 17.9 percent in the 12 months to January 30, higher than an annual rise of 17.6 percent in the previous week, according to data released on February 11. (ANI)