Gurugram, Feb 22 (IANS): Congress activists on Monday held a protest in Gurugram against the Central government over the rising diesel and petrol prices.

Hundreds of party activists took out a procession from Sohna Chowk to Rajiv Chowk in old Gurugram. The protesters carried pamphlets and placards with slogans against the fuel price hike.

Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government over the rising prices of petrol and diesel, former Haryana Minister and Congress leader Sukhbir Kataria blamed the Central government and the BJP-led Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana and sought an immediate rollback of the increase in the prices of petroleum products. He asserted that under the BJP dispensation, prices of other products like dal, rice and sugar are continuously increasing.

"The people were battling coronavirus pandemic and the Central government has increased price of diesel and petrol. The fuel price has crossed Rs 100 per litre in several states. It's like the Central government and the state government don't even think about the problems faced by the common man," Kataria said.

"The government is profiteering at the expense of the people, it is an example of extorting money from people," he added.

We urge the Centre through this protest to rollback the rise in excise duty on petrol and give its benefit to the people, Kataria said.

Kataria claimed that more than 200 farmers have died at the borders of the national capital during the protests but the Central government is still adamant over the three contentious farm laws.