New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS): Activists of the Indian Youth Congress on Monday staged a protest against the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cyleinders, and also over the arrest of 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi.

Hundreds of IYC activists led by its national president Srinivas B.V. particpated in the protest in the inner circle of the Connaught Place here. The youth Congress activtsts dressed in cricket attire took a jibe at the Centre over petrol prices crossing the Rs 100 per liter mark at several parts of the country.

Speaking to the media, Srinivas said that by robbing the people, the Central government is focusing solely on the development of the capitalists.

Slamming the Union Finance Minister, Srinivas said that Nirmala Sitharaman says that rising prices of petrol and diesel is no longer under the government's control.

"To whose account is the 100 per cent excise duty going? The common people of the country are reeling under the fire of inflation, but the government seems to have found an opportunity in disaster," he said.

Srinivas also condemned the arrest of Disha Ravi in connection with the toolkit case and said that the character of the nation is being destroyed as the right of expression is being abolished.

He said that her arrest is a violation of her democratic rights and this type of incident is against the democratic tradition of the country.

"The government is afraid of criticism and is indulging in the practice of arresting the critics," the IYC chief said.

Srinivas demanded that the government should take concrete steps to control the rising inflation at the earliest and work to provide relief to the people, especially young talented youth like Disha Ravi.

IYC's national media in-charge Rahul Rao said that the government has no understanding of the economy as inflation is increasing day by day.

"We demand that the government should roll back the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders with immediate effect," Rao said.