Kolkata, March 8: On International Women's Day, women from the Trinamool Congress staged a protest against the increase in cooking gas prices, wearing black sarees.
A procession was organized on Sunday, starting from Subodh Mallick Square, where participants wore black sarees and clothes to reach Mamata Banerjee's sit-in demonstration at Esplanade.
State Ministers Shashi Panja and Chandrima Bhattacharya led the protest. Protests were also held at the sit-in stage, where participants wore black sarees. Mamata also participated in the protest, holding symbolic cylinders.
Every year, the Trinamool Congress organizes various events on International Women's Day. This time, the increase in the price of LPG cylinders, following the conflict in the Middle East, was the focus of their event.
On Saturday, Mamata expressed her anger over the increase in the price of LPG cylinders and called for a protest march to protest the increase in the price of cooking gas.
Speaking from the sit-in demonstration in Esplanade, the Chief Minister appealed to the public to come to the protest site with their kitchen utensils.
The price of cooking gas cylinders in India has increased in the midst of the US-Iran conflict in the Middle East. The price of cooking gas cylinders for households has been increased by Rs 60 from Friday midnight.
"Yesterday, the price of cooking gas was increased by 60 rupees. Three days before that, the price of commercial gas was increased by 49 rupees. The price of a large cylinder has become 2,100 rupees. And the price of a small cylinder has become almost 1,000 rupees. They said that you have to book LPG cylinders 21 days in advance. Will someone whose house runs out of gas go without cooking for 21 days? Don't you think about these things first? What will people eat?" she had said.
The government has directed Indian refiners to maximize their output of LPG, asking public sector oil marketing companies to ensure that the LPG procured is marketed solely to domestic LPG consumers.
The Centre has increased the price of a 14.2 kg domestic cooking gas cylinder by Rs 60. Gas worth Rs 879 will now have to be purchased at Rs 939. The new price has been fixed from Saturday.
The price of commercial gas has also been increased per cylinder. The price of commercial gas has been increased by Rs 50 from Rs 114 to Rs 1990.