Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to undertake 550 km padayatra against fuel price hike

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president KS Alagiri announced that the human rights wing of the party would undertake a padayatra for 550km from Monday. President of TNCC human rights wing Srinivasan along with 56 others would start the yatra (rally) from Coimbatore on Monday. Seeking support of the people and party workers for the yatra, Alagiri said the price of petrol and diesel had remained at Rs 71.41 and Rs 55.49 per litre, respectively during the 2004-2014 regime despite the international crude price reaching $108 per barrel. The Cong-led UPA regime provided a subsidy of Rs 1.47 lakh crore during 2013-14, but the people are suffering due to a 203% and 531% increase in excise duty on petrol and diesel during last eight years. Pointing out that over Rs 26 lakh crore has been mopped up during Modi regime, Alagiri said that even during the last two years of COVID, the price of petrol and diesel has been Rs 29.02 and Rs 27.58 per litre.