BJP leaders protest against increase in fuel prices

BJP leaders protest against increase in fuel prices
The Hindu

HUBLI: Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Jagadish Shettar, State unit President, staged a protest here on Thursday in protest against the frequent hikes in fuel prices.

The protestors, who converted a bullock cart into a stage, criticised the Union Government.

"It is the fifth time in the year that the fuel prices are being hiked," they said.

They criticised the way the Centre is dealing with the fluctuation in the crude oil prices in the international market.

Mr. Shettar and Pralhad Joshi, MP, lambasted the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre for frequent hikes in the fuel prices. Earlier, Mr. Shettar came to the Kittur Channamma Circle, venue of the protest, on a bullock cart.

Mr. Joshi, Ashok Katwe, former MLA, and others went round the Kittur Channamma Statue few times on the bullock cart, towing a car along with. Several members of the party took part in the protest.

Members of Hubli Auto Rickshaw Drivers' and Owners' Association staged a demonstration and burnt the effigy of Union Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar protesting against the hike in the fuel prices.

The protestors, who held the demonstration in front of the office of the Hubli Tahsildar urged the Union Government to withdraw the price hike immediately.

They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister to the Tahsildar.

They later held a demonstration before the regional office of the New India Assurance Company urging to withdraw the hike in the insurance premiums of auto rickshaws.

The protestors said that if no action is initiated to reduce the insurance premiums within 15ays, the association will stage protest before the offices of all the insurance company branches in Hubli.

David Goni, Devanand Jagapur, Imtiaz Jamadar, Mushtaq Kharjagi, Dadapeer Bepari and several others participated in the demonstations.