New Delhi, March 12 Thousands of Delhi Congress workers staged demonstrations outside cooking gas agencies across the national capital on Thursday, protesting against the alleged shortage of LPG cylinders and demanding a reversal of the LPG price hike.
According to the party, protests were held in all 258 Block Congress Committees across 14 districts of Delhi.
Party leaders and workers gathered outside gas agencies carrying placards that read "reverse the gas price hike", "stop the costly gas supply", and "provide relief to the people", and raised slogans, according to a statement.
Addressing the protesters, Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav said the sudden increase in cooking gas prices has added to the burden on households already grappling with inflation.
"People are already under severe stress due to skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. The recent hike of Rs 60 in domestic LPG cylinders and Rs 115 in commercial cylinders has further increased the burden on common people," Yadav said in the statement.
He said a domestic LPG cylinder now costs Rs 913, while the price of a commercial cylinder has risen to Rs 1,883.
Questioning the Centre's claim that there is no fuel shortage, Yadav said long queues outside gas agencies and restrictions on booking cylinders point to a supply crisis.
"If there is no shortage of fuel in the country, why are there long queues outside gas cylinder outlets? Why are cylinders being sold for up to Rs 3,000 in the black market? And why has food service on trains been temporarily stopped?" he asked.
The protesters were joined by locals, former MLAs, municipal councillors, and party office-bearers, the statement said.
