Police foils Congress activists’ attempt to ‘Ghreao’ Civil Sectt

Congress activists staging protest in Jammu on Thursday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
Congress activists staging protest in Jammu on Thursday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 4: A strong contingent of police today foiled the attempt of the Congress leaders and workers to conduct ‘Gherao’ of Civil Secretariat in protest against the fuel price hike and imposition of property tax on public here.
Senior Congress leaders including former Minister Raman Bhalla, Manmohan Singh, NSUI J&K president Sunny Parihar, Rajneesh Sharma, Gurdarshan Singh, Sanjeev Panda, Rajveer Singh, District president Jammu Rural Hari Singh Chib today led a strong  protest at Maheshpura Chowk over rising prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas as a part of Congress Party’s nationwide protests against BJP Govt.
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The protest was organized by Corporators Dwarka Choudhary, Rajinder Jamwal, Ritu Chowdhury, Sobat Ali, Bhanu Mahajan, Sonika Sharma, Rama Devi and Charanjit Kour. Hundreds of Congress activists assembled at Maheshpura Chowk with placards in their hands and raised slogans against the Central Government. The protesters were heading to ‘Gherao’ Civil Secretariat but their attempt was foiled by heavy deployment of Police.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla demanded that the BJP government should provide immediate relief to people from the rising prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.  He said petrol and diesel prices have been rising relentlessly and all the BJP luminaries who protested vociferously and wittily about oil prices during the UPA rule are now silent. They are seeking to explain how it is not the Government’s fault because crude prices are rising while the rupee is falling against the dollar or how the increased excise duties on petrol and diesel are helping in social programmes and infrastructure development.
Bhalla maintained that reality is that Governments that shed crocodile tears for the common man have no qualms to see is a matter of concern that even those who rule the country do not have the common sense to understand that the increase in cooking gas prices is not like  the increase in petrol and diesel prices. Does this mean that they value the will of the people so much? Such an attitude stems from the presumption common people will silently tolerate anything that is imposed on them, he added.