Pillion earlier, watch WB CM Mamata Banerjee learn to ride e-scooter & lead fuel protest

In a unique protest against the rising fuel prices across the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday rode an electric scooter to the state secretariat Nabanna. In the morning she had been driven there by state minister Firhad Hakim, but at the end of the day, she decided to ride the scooter by herself as she proceeded to Kalighat to lead another protest. A video of the Chief Minister from the first moments that she got on the scooter shows how she did it gingerly at first, being given a lot of help and support by her aides. At one point, CM Mamata lost balance of the vehicle and people around her quickly caught hold. With their help, Mamata Banerjee quickly managed to regain her balance and continued to drive, post which she did quite well.

READ | Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Reaches Nephew Abhishek's Home Before CBI Lands To Probe Rujira

Mamata Banerjee's unique protest against fuel price hike

In the morning the TMC supremo had travelled to the State Secretariat in Nabanna. She was spotted riding pillion behind TMC leader Firhad Hakim who is also the Mayor of Kolkata. In an attempt to protest, the helmet-clad Bengal Chief Minister while riding the scooter had a placard hanging around her neck. During the 7-km long journey from Hazra more to the state secretariat, she was also seen waving at people on both sides of the road. 

READ | Mamata Banerjee Echoes Rahul Gandhi On 'Narendra Modi Stadium'; Says 'Hum Do Hamare Do'

Upon reaching Nabanna after a 45-minute ride, Banerjee once again slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government and said, "There was demonetisation, and now fuel prices are rising." Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is selling everything in the country, she said, "From Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to coal everything in the country is being sold. This is anti-people, anti-youth and anti-farmer government."

Hitting out at PM Modi, West Bengal CM said, "We are protesting against the fuel price hike. The Modi government only makes false promises. They have done nothing to bring down fuel prices. You can see the difference in petrol prices when the Modi government came to power and now."

READ | Mamata Banerjee Rides Electric Scooter To Bengal Secretariat In Protest Against Fuel Rates

While speaking about her unique way of protesting, the TMC chief said that she rode on an e-scooter to protest the manner in which petrol, diesel and LPG prices are rising. Asserting that a middle-class household needs two LPG cylinders a month which they can't afford now, she said that over 1 crore people in West Bengal who depend on kerosene, are not able to get it now. 

Meanwhile, several opposition party leaders termed Banerjee's protest "a publicity stunt" and called it "theatrics". Fuel prices are soaring high in the country for the past few weeks and have even crossed the Rs 100 mark in few states. Opposition parties have staged protests across the country against the rising fuel prices.

READ | 'I'll Live Like Royal Bengal Tiger': Mamata Banerjee Unafraid; 'Gujarat Won't Rule Bengal'

(With ANI inputs)