K’taka Congress launches “100 not out” campaign against rising fuel prices

Senior leaders of the Congress party, including state president DK Shivakumar, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, RV Deshpande and Dinesh Gundu Rao, took part in the protest

The Congress party in Karnataka on Friday launched a five-day “100 not out” campaign to protest the increase in prices of petrol and diesel in the country.

Congress activists protest against frequent hikes in the prices of petrol and diesel, and demand rollback of the prices at a fuel station, in Chikmagalur, Karnataka on Friday, June 11. (PTI)

Senior leaders of the Congress party, including state president DK Shivakumar, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, RV Deshpande and Dinesh Gundu Rao, took part in the protest. Their colleagues held similar protests at landmark fuel stations across Bengaluru.

Shivakumar said party workers were holding such protests across 5,000 petrol pumps and will continue for five days to force the government to roll back prices.

While the campaign is being held in cities and urban areas today, tomorrow it will be taken to taluk headquarters, and will continue each day till it reaches villages, he said.

“You (BJP) have made money from deaths, medicines, (hospital) beds and today, you are trying to pick pockets by increasing petrol and diesel prices,” the state president alleged.

Shivakumar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had held similar protests against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government when fuel prices saw a marginal increase but were silent even as petrol and diesel prices have crossed ₹100 per litre.

“Increasing taxes make petrol cross ₹100 a litre. In Karnataka, BJP has also increased electricity rates. Whether you stay in or move out, BJP wants to empty your wallets. Like a gun point robbery. Are you going to suffer this silently? ,” Shivakumar said on Twitter.