Will petrol price touch century mark, is rupee in hospital? Cong asks PM ahead of protest

The Congress Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether petrol prices would hit the century mark under his government and if the rupee was in hospital.

Congress spokesperson R P N Singh said all political parties will take to the streets to protest against the rising prices of petrol and diesel that are hitting the common man hard and questioned the prime minister's silence on the issue.

He said the September 10 'Bharat Bandh' protest is "not of the Congress but of the common man".

"The prime minister during the UPA's tenure had said that the rupee is in hospital. The rupee has touched an all-time low against the US dollar, where is the prime minister now? He is neither tweeting nor giving any speech.

"Never has the rupee touched such low levels in the history of the country. The country wants to ask him why is he silent? Is the rupee in hospital today?" he asked.

Singh alleged that this government has failed on all fronts, including "economy, employment, welfare of the youth, farmers and every section of society".

The Congress leader said the party has called a "Bharat Bandh" on September 10 to protest against the rising fuel prices and all opposition parties will take part in it.

He said petrol has touched the Rs 80 mark in Delhi and has breached the Rs 90 mark at places like Bhiwandi and asked if it will "cross the century mark under this government".

Singh said the government has earned Rs 11 lakh crore through taxes on petrol and diesel. The common man, who has paid the taxes, should take to the streets to protest.

He said the Congress will organise state-level press conferences in over 90 cities to highlight the fuel price rise and urged people to make the bandh a success by participating in it.

The Congress will organise a nationwide protest on September 10 over rising fuel prices, party leaders had announced Thursday and asked other opposition parties and civil society groups to join the shutdown against the central government.

Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Ahmed Patel, Motilal Vora, Mallikarjun Kharge and Randeep Singh Surjewala had said the common man was bearing the brunt of escalating prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas as well as of other essential commodities.

Patel had said most opposition parties have given their consent to support and Congress leaders have talked to the Left parties, the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and others, who have extended their support to the Congress on the issue.

On Trinamool Congress, he said the party has agreed to support but won't give a call for bandh as they are in government.