Nagpur: Workers and leaders of the Opposition NCP (SP) took out a 'bicycle rally' in Maharashtra's Nagpur as part of their protest against the hike in petrol and diesel prices and rising inflation.
Party workers, led by former state minister Anil Deshmukh and the NCP (SP) city unit president Duneshwar Pethe, staged a demonstration at Samvidhan Square, and then cycled to the district collectorate to submit a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Speaking to reporters, Deshmukh slammed the government and claimed that with the farming season, the state is facing an acute shortage of diesel and agricultural work has been disrupted.
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"The rising diesel prices have massively increased transportation costs. This has had a direct impact on the supply of daily essentials, causing prices of vegetables, food grains and other necessities to soar. This inflation has completely wrecked the budgets of ordinary and middle-class families in the state," he said.
Deshmukh, in the memorandum, demanded that the state government reduce the fuel tax under its control to provide immediate relief to the people and ensure a smooth supply of diesel.
The state government should take firm and aggressive follow-up with the central government to bring fuel prices under control, he said.
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Petrol and diesel prices were raised by Rs 2.61-2.71 per litre on Monday, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks as state-owned fuel retailers continued to pass on rising international oil prices to consumers.
