Congress to take on Centre over fuel price hike, farmers' protest in upcoming Parliament session

By Siddharth Sharma
New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): The Congress has decided to take on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government in the Parliament session starting from Monday on the issues of hike in fuel prices and the ongoing farmers' agitation against the three new farm laws.
The party took this decision on Sunday in a Parliament Strategy Group Meeting chaired by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi.
According to a leader present in the meeting, it was discussed that fuel price rise has hampered the life of a common citizen and the Central government is imposing heavy taxes on petrol and diesel.
Furthermore, it was also observed in the meeting that the price of petrol has touched Rs 100 per litre in a few states. Diesel prices are also on the rise which is leading to inflation.
It was further discussed that while on one hand the farmers' agitation on the borders of Delhi reached 100-day mark, the Central government is not in a mood to listen to them. Therefore, it was decided that the party will corner the government on the issues and will demand that it must be discussed in the Parliament and relief must be given to the people of the country.
The leader said that the Congress has been raising the issue outside Parliament for many days now, adding that Sonia Gandhi had also issued a statement in this regard in which she had said that the government is making profit out of people's distress.
Congress Chief Whip in Lok Sabha, Koddikunil Suresh told ANI, "We want that the issue of hike in fuel prices to be discussed on the floor. For that I will also give notice under Rule 193 for urgent discussion on the issue.
Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group Meeting was held through video conferencing today which was chaired by party's interim president Sonia Gandhi. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Deputy Leader of the Party in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, Manickam Tagore and Manish Tiwari attended the meeting.
The Budget Session of Parliament is will begin on Monday. (ANI)