New Delhi: Congress party announced a nationwide protest on March 31^st, over the hike in petrol and diesel prices, said AICC Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi. Congress announced a Mehngai Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, a three-phase protest against rising fuel prices across the country between March 31^st and April 7^th.

Speaking to the media person Surjewala said that increasing the prices of petrol and diesel is a shameless fleecing and public must stop this. Surjewala speaking at a press conference in New Delhi said that Congress activists and people will protest outside their homes and public places with garlanded gas cylinders and beat of drums-bells, other instruments to draw the attention of the deaf BJP Government against the increase in prices of gas, petrol, and diesel.

Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 80 paise/litre each on Saturday, the fourth increase in five days as oil firms passed on to consumers the spike in the cost of crude. The Congress accused the BJP Government of earning ₹ 26 lakh crore in eight years by increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel.