Youth Cong holds protest in Delhi, seeks Petroleum Minister's resignation over fuel price hike

Activists of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged a protest at the Shastri Bhawan here on Saturday against rising petrol and diesel prices and demanded the resignation of Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

IYC media incharge Rahul Rao said several members of the Congress' youth wing including its president Srinivas BV and other leaders were detained and taken to various police stations.

"The BJP leaders who used to protest over prices of petrol and diesel have kept mum now. The prices of petrol have touched Rs 100 per litre in many parts of the country and the Modi government is doing nothing to provide relief to the people," Srinivas said.

The Petroleum Minister should step down if he cannot keep the prices of petrol and diesel in check, he said.

In a release, Srinivas said the people of the country had "chosen PM Narendra Modi on the promise of good day, now he has broken the trust of the people".

"Against the anti-people attitude of the Modi government, the Youth Congress is agitating across the country and raising the voice of the common man," he said.

IYC members raised slogans such as "Abki Baar Petrol 100 Ke Paar" and "Modi Hai To Mehngayi Hai", obliquely targeting BJP's poll slogans. The protesters were stopped by police while they were heading towards Petroleum Ministry at Shastri Bhawan on RP Road.

Some of the protesters were detained when they tried to get past the police barricade. The IYC president and other leaders were taken to Mandir Marg police station, Rao said.

"On one side there is an all-round inflation and on the other there is a spate of diesel-petrol-gas prices. Petrol has crossed Rs 100 and diesel has crossed Rs 90 in many parts of the country," the IYC release said.

Petrol price on Friday crossed the Rs 90-per-litre mark in the national capital, and that of diesel reached Rs 80.60 after rates were increased for the 11th consecutive day in a row. Petrol price has already surged past the Rs 100-mark in some places in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, which levy the highest VAT on the fuel.