New Delhi, Nov.23 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Goel on Friday led a protest rally outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, demanding an increase on the cap of cooking gas cylinders.
India raised the price of diesel in mid-September, after a gap of more than a year, and capped annual sales of subsidised cooking gas cylinders to six per household.
Shouting slogans, protesters marched to Dikshit's house where they were stopped by policemen.
Venting his anger towards the cap on cooking gas cylinders, Goel threw a cylinder outside Dikshit's residence.
"People in Delhi are very upset because of the price rise, specifically the price rise of cooking gas cylinders, which is a basic necessity. People living in slums and unrecognised colonies are bearing the brunt of the cap on cylinders. The middle class is also reeling under the pressure. We want that the cap should be increased to 12 cylinders. People are forced to purchase the cylinders in black, the cost of one cylinder being 1200 to 1400 rupees. How can one survive like this? Prices of other basic necessities like electricity, water and fuel are also rising. Price rise is at an all time high," said Goel.
He added that he would lead massive protests if the government fails to pay heed to their demand.
"If our demands are not met we will agitate further and convert these protests into a mass movement. Earlier also I had collected over hundred thousand people at the Ramlila grounds in Delhi to agitate against such issues and can do it again. We along with the people will together fight the rising prices of cooking gas cylinders and inflation," said Goel.
Despite the backlash, the government pressed ahead with more reforms slashing a tax on overseas borrowing by Indian firms, implementing a scheme to encourage individuals to invest in the stock market, and relaxing minimum requirements for the country's airlines to fly overseas.
Facing the threat of having its credit rating downgraded to junk, the Indian government has been running out of time to show it is serious about fixing an economy that has been hard-hit by a global economic crisis and political gridlock at home. (ANI)
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