Congress workers protest outside Delhi CM house against price rise

Govt has not bothered to supply essential commodities to people at affordable prices, said Ajay Maken

Delhi Congress workers today staged a protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house over the rise in prices of onion and other essential commodities and accused the city government for "failing" to check it or take action against hoarders and speculators.

Leading the protest, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken said 'thali-peet' (utensil-beating) demonstration was held to "awaken" Kejriwal from his "deep slumber", as the Aam Aadmi Party leader seemed to be "oblivious" to the price rise of such commodities around him.

"Prices of essential commodities have gone through the roof, making lives of people unbearable. Onions were selling at prices ranging from Rs 80 to Rs 100, and the AAP government has not done anything to check the price rise, nor taken action against hoarders and speculators," Maken alleged.

The Congress leader said the government has "not bothered" to supply essential commodities to people at affordable prices.

"Other reasons for the price rise was that the Kejriwal government had increased Value Added Tax (VAT) on essential commodities, and also put entry tax on goods vehicles coming from outside the capital," Maken was quoted as saying in a statement.

The DPCC chief added that "the Congress government had ruled Delhi for 15 years and whenever the price of a particular essential commodity went up, it took measures to make such commodities available to the people at reasonable prices".

Besides Maken, several other Congress leaders also participated in the demonstration.