Congress MPs stage protest against fuel price hike

The MPs sat on a dharna with placards, raising slogans and demanding roll back of increased prices.

Cooking gas cylinders were also placed at the protest site.

Former party president Rahul Gandhi said he had warned people that fuel prices will increase after the polls.

"Such price rise has never been witnessed before in history... Government's idea is to get money out from the pockets of the poor and give it to a few rich people. I had said before the polls, get your fuel tanks filled right now," Gandhi said.

"We can see that petrol and diesel prices are climbing rapidly. Government is making thousands and thousands of crores from this. In the last 10 days, the prices of petrol and diesel have been raised nine times," he added.

"The Congress party is protesting across the country in districts, blocks, and state capitals against this price rise. The government has to stop doing this. This is hurting the poorest people of the country," he said.

Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 80 paise a litre each on Thursday, the ninth hike in the last 10 days, registering a total increase of Rs 6.40 per litre.

Petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs 101.81 per litre, while diesel rates have gone up to 93.07 per litre.