Congress & TMC MPs cycle to Parliament in protest against fuel price hike

On Monday, several Opposition party MP's including Congress MP DK Suresh, TMC MP Derek O’Brien and others cycled to the Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session to protest against the rising prices of diesel and petrol. By doing this, they wanted to highlight how a common man faces difficulties due to a hike in fuel prices. 

Speaking about the protest, DK Suresh, said, "I am traveling via bicycle because petrol price is too much. It's difficult for a common man to survive with 15-20% inflation". 

The Opposition parties including Congress and All India Trinamool Congress has given various notices in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on the opening day of the Monsoon Session. Some of the issues include a hike in diesel and petrol prices, LPG, and other commodities, demand to repeal farm laws, a decline in economic growth, restoration of MPLAD funds, and the alleged weakening of the federal structure by the government. 

TMC MPs cycle to Parliament

Earlier, on July 19, several Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs cycled to Parliament in protest against the rise in prices of fuel and other commodities. Despite the rain, the six MPs including Derek O’Brien, Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, Arpita Ghosh, Nadimul Haque, Shantanu Sen, and Abir Ranjan Biswas, chose to cycle to highlight the difficulties of the general public as the fuel prices in India have been on the rise since May. 

They also raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "Narendra Modi jawab do (Narendra Modi we want answers)" and "Jawab tumko dena hoga (You have to give answers)." 

Speaking on the struggles of cycling in the rain, one of the TMC MPs, had said, "We are stopped here despite the rain to make way for the Prime Minister towards the Parliament. A few seconds back other vehicles were allowed but now we are being stopped". He added, "This is the strategy of PM and Home Minister Amit Shah to stop the voice of the Opposition. But, we won't give up and protest against fuel price hike as we pedal to the Parliament". The TMC MP's will also hold a dharna at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi.

On July 18, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had announced that RJD is set to hold protests in Bihar on July 18 and all the other districts of Punjab on July 19, further mentioning that the RJD will write to parties of Mahagathbandhan to join the protest amid rising fuel prices.

Fuel price hike in India

On July 19, Monday, the petrol and diesel prices remained the same across the country. Currently, the petrol price in the National Capital is Rs 101.84 per litre and the diesel price is Rs 89.87 per litre. Meanwhile, the petrol price in all major cities including Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata is Rs 107.83 per litre, Rs 102.49 per litre and Rs 102.8 per litre, respectively. 

(Image credit: ANI/TWITTER)