Opposition party, Congress will hold mass protests across the country next Monday over the “unprecedented” rise in petrol and diesel prices. Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal said the party will also hold a mass protest on Friday over China’s incursion into Indian territory by paying homage to the Army personnel killed in a violent faceoff with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley.

“The Congress party will pay homage to the martyrs of Ladakh by observing June 26 as ‘Shaheedon Ko Salaam Divas’ across India. They will sit at ”Shaheed Smaraks” or the statues of Mahatma Gandhi or freedom fighters in their respective locations,” he said in a statement.

In a message to all state units, he said there will be no sloganeering while paying homage to the Jawans who laid their life fighting for the country.

Silent protesters holding placards, lamps and candles with the national flag background will pay tribute to the martyrs between 11 am and 12 noon on Friday, he said, adding that a massive online campaign “Speak up for Our Jawans” also will be held on the same day.

“On June 29, Congress workers, wearing masks and by maintaining social distancing norms, will sit on a two-hour dharna from 10 am to 12 noon at every district headquarter to protest against the unprecedented rise in the price of petrol and diesel and demand its rollback,” he said. Venugopal said a memorandum addressed to the President of India will be submitted to District Magistrates or Deputy Commissioners.

On Thursday, Petrol price was hiked 16 paise per litre, while diesel price was hiked by 14paise per litre. The fuel prices have increased up to Rs 8.66 for petrol and Rs 10.63 in diesel in 19 days. The decision to hold protests was taken at a meeting of the party’s working committee on Tuesday chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, an FIR was filed against Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and 150 party workers for violating social distancing rules over their cycle protest against rising fuel prices in Bhopal on Wednesday.

जनता की मांग उठाने पर मुझ पर FIR दर्ज होती है तो मैं उसका स्वागत करता हूँ। आज फिर पेट्रोल और डीज़ल के दाम बढ़ा दिए गए। बढती पेट्रोल डीज़ल की क़ीमतों का लाभ किसको हो रहा है?
१-पेट्रोल पम्प मालिक
२- पेट्रोलियम उत्पादक कम्पनियां
३- केंद्र सरकार

— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 25, 2020

“I welcome if an FIR is registered against me for raising people’s voice. Who is getting the benefit of rising petrol prices – 1. Petrol pump owners 2. Petrol companies. 3. Central Government,” Digvijaya Singh said in a tweet in Hindi.