SP workers protest fuel price hike; set afire Sonia's effigy

Allahabad, Jun 24: Samajwadi Party today (Jun 25) held protest demonstrations in various parts of the city against the hike in the prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene by the Congress-led Central government.

A group of supporters of the SP entered the premises of Anand Bhavan, the ancestral house of the Nehrus which was later converted into a museum, where they chanted slogans against the UPA government and set afire an effigy of the ruling coalition's chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Officials of Anand Bhavan, which houses a museum and the Jawahar Planetarium, said they would not report the matter to police as the SP supporters did not vandalize the premises or venture towards those parts where entry is prohibited.

Their protest was restricted to the lawns in front of the building, the officials said.

However, Chandradhar Gaur, in-charge of Kernalganj police station in whose jurisdiction Anand Bhavan falls, said, "We are taking a very serious note of the unauthorized entry into the high-security premises and stern action will be taken once those involved in the act are identified".

Meanwhile, protests were organized at various other places across the city by Samajwadi Party and the BJP against the latest price rise announced by the Central government yesterday.

PTI