NEW DELHI, Nov. 24 -- Congress workers, led by Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav, took out a symbolic funeral procession of LPG cylinders in the capital on Monday, accusing the BJP-led Rekha Gupta government of failing to fulfil its election promise of providing free gas cylinders on Holi and Diwali.
Yadav said advance notice was given to the authorities regarding holding the demonstration at Jantar Mantar, but the police did not allow the event to take place in public view. Yadav accused the BJP government of using police force to suppress the opposition and silence democratic expression.
"The manner in which the BJP government is pushing the police in front to halt the opposition is murder of democracy," Yadav said, adding that the increasing fear of defeat in bypolls for 12 wards was driving their actions.
"Congress has always fought for the welfare, development and rights of the people, and no one can suppress us," he asserted.
Among others who were present during the protest included senior leaders such as AICC secretary in-charge Danish Abrar, former minister Narendra Nath, communication department chairman and former MLA Anil Bhardwaj, former MLAs Vijay Lochav and Bhisham Sharma, Abdul Rehman, state administrative in-charge Jatin Sharma, DPMC president Pushpa Singh, Jitendra Kumar Kochhar, Jagjivan Sharma, Dharampal Chandela, Rajkumar Jain, Mohammad Usman, Inderjit Dinesh Kumar, Harsh Chaudhary, Aadesh Bhardwaj, Mahinder Bhaskar, Mahinder Mangla, Delhi Seva Dal chief organiser Sunil Kumar, corporation councillor Nazia Danish, Haji Zarif, Sameer Mansouri, observers Shanti Swaroop and Lokendra Chaudhary, Mangesh Tyagi, JP Pawar, Pradeep Upmanyu, Abdul Wahid, Rajesh Garg, Sanjay Neeraj, Sanjay Sharma, Jai Prakash, Akshay Kumar, Prem Sharma, Kamal Arora, Deepak Bhardwaj, Rahul Dhanak and Vineet Yadav.
Talking to reporters, Yadav said the protest was meant to "wake up" the BJP government, claiming none of its election promises had been fulfilled. Warning of intensified agitation, he said, "If the BJP government does not wake up, we will also take out a funeral procession of the Delhi government."
He pointed out the increasing prices of cooking gas, citing that women in Delhi were suffering with LPG prices touching almost Rs 1,000. "BJP's promise of giving free cylinders after Holi and Diwali has proved a complete jumla," he said. Yadav also attacked both the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party over "12 years of false promises", accusing neither of taking effective steps to control inflation or Delhi's worsening pollution. The bypolls under way in 12 MCD wards would not bring about a change of guard, he said, but people could send out a strong message if they rejected "false assurances" on November 30.
Recalling the tenure of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Yadav said she had ensured affordable cylinders and worked to eliminate kerosene use by expanding CNG infrastructure and improving green cover. "Congress always worked to resolve the problems faced by women. But the present BJP and previous AAP governments have done nothing except make claims," he added.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.