The Congress party on Saturday organised a massive bicycle rally in Hoshiarpur to protest against the continuous rise in petrol and diesel prices and soaring inflation. The rally was led by former Cabinet Minister Sunder Sham Arora and witnessed participation from a large number of party leaders, workers and local residents.
The rally commenced from a petrol pump near the Hoshiarpur Bus Stand, where Congress workers gathered before proceeding through major city roads, including Shri Ram Chowk, Bhagwan Valmiki Chowk, Lav-Kush Marg, Kashmiri Bazaar, Ghanta Ghar Chowk, Gaura Gate and Bahadurpur Chowk, before culminating at Shimla Pahari Chowk.
Addressing the gathering, Sunder Sham Arora launched a sharp attack on both the Central and Punjab governments, alleging that they had failed to provide relief to people burdened by rising prices. He said the continuous increase in fuel prices had escalated transportation costs, resulting in higher prices of food items, household goods and other daily necessities.
Arora stated that inflation had severely affected the economic condition of labourers, farmers, employees, traders and middle-class families. He accused governments of pursuing flawed economic policies and taking anti-people decisions that have worsened the financial hardships of citizens.
He said the Congress party would continue to raise the voice of the people and fight for their interests. Warning of intensified protests, Arora said that if effective measures were not taken to control inflation and reduce fuel prices, the party would launch a larger public movement in the coming days.
Congress workers raised slogans against inflation during the rally and demanded immediate reduction in petrol and diesel prices to provide relief to the common man.
