The West Bengal Trinamul Mahila Congress held a rally near the Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math on Thursday in Kolkata to protest against the increase in cooking gas prices, a daily necessity for people. The Mahila Congress members said the prices have gone up despite reduction in global price levels. Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Krishna Chakraborty and other women leaders, local women of the area were present. During their public protest against the rise in cooking gas by Rs 50, the women leaders cooked in an earthen stove and condemned the central government.

State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said: “It seems that they don’t feel the need to think about the poor people. Not just the LPG cylinder price, even health insurance is charged with 18 per cent GST. Prices of over 900 medicines have been hiked. What kind of medicines are these? They are all daily use medicines for treating issues like blood pressure and cholesterol.”

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The BMC mayor, Krishna Chakraborty, said: “People, who are getting subsidies on cooking gas will be the hardest hit. Poor people are suffering and are now facing a crisis. Though they have free ration but they have to pay nearly Rs 1,000 to survive. We are being transported to earlier times by the central government.”