New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS): The Women Congress activists staged a protest at Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan's office, here on Thursday, against the steep rise in liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder prices and demanded its immediate rollback.

They also submitted a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Women Congress chief Sushmita Dev along with hundreds of party workers had gone to meet Pradhan. On not being allowed to meet the Minister, they sat on protest outside the Shastri Bhawan. They also carried placards with prices of LPG cylinders in different cities mentioned on them.

Addressing workers, Deb said, "The price of LPG cylinder has been hiked about six times since August 2019. It's extremely insensitive on the government's part," she said.

Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who held protest over the LPG price hike issue during the COngress-led UPA government, she said, "It comes as a surprise that the BJP leaders who held shrill press meets when they were in opposition to protest LPG price during the UPA government are silent."

"The Congress is against this steep hike. The Mahila Congress is demanding its rollback to give relief to the common citizens," she said.

Slamming the BJP, she said the prices were increased within 24 hours of the Delhi poll results. "Is this revenge for their crushing defeat," she remarked.

Two hours later, a Women Congress delegation was allowed to submit the memorandum to the Minister's office.

The price of LPG cylinder was hiked by Rs 144.50 on Wednesday, taking it to Rs 858.50 a cylinder. This was one of the steepest increases in over five years.

A non-subsidised 14.2 kg cylinder will now cost Rs 858.50 in New Delhi, Rs 896 in Kolkata, Rs 829.50 in Mumbai and Rs 881 in Chennai.