Shimla, May 25
The Congress party on Monday staged a protest in Shimla against the continuous rise in petrol and diesel prices, accusing the central government of burdening the common man with inflation. Party workers and leaders gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office to demand relief from rising fuel costs.
The protest comes after petrol and diesel prices were increased for the fourth time within the last ten days. In Shimla, petrol prices have crossed ₹102 per litre, while diesel prices are nearing ₹97 per liter.
Shimla District Congress President Inderjeet Singh said the rising fuel prices are directly affecting people across the state, especially in Himachal Pradesh, where the economy is heavily dependent on tourism and supplies from outside states. He said increased transportation costs are making everyday commodities more expensive and putting additional pressure on household budgets.
Inderjeet Singh stated that Himachal is not a manufacturing state and relies largely on goods transported from other regions. As a result, any increase in fuel prices has a major impact on tourism businesses, transportation, and people’s daily lives.
Targeting the Center, he said the falling rupee and rising gold prices reflect the failure of the government’s economic and foreign trade policies. Referring to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he claimed that the Congress-led government had handled the 2008 global economic crisis in a balanced and effective manner.
He added that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been consistently raising the issue of inflation from Parliament to the streets and assured that the party will continue to stand with poor and middle-class families affected by rising prices.
Congress leaders warned that if fuel prices continue to rise, inflation will worsen further, increasing the financial burden on the common people.
