AMRITSAR, May 16 — Street demonstrations erupted in major urban centers across Punjab on Friday as Aam Aadmi Party members protested recent fuel price hikes, accusing the central government of worsening inflation immediately following state elections.
Protesters gathered in Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Jalandhar to voice opposition to the revised rates, which regional leaders claim have severely impacted the household budgets of working-class families. The party linked the price adjustments to the conclusion of polling in five states, stating that the public is being heavily burdened.
“Due to inflation, the backbone of the country’s people has already been broken, and on top of that, the massive increase in fuel prices has made life extremely difficult for poor and middle-class families,” AAP Punjab State Chief Spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Dhaliwal stated during the Amritsar rally. “Due to the rise in petrol and diesel prices, the prices of daily-use goods and vegetables have also skyrocketed, for which the pro-corporate policies of the Modi Government are directly responsible.”
Party officials maintained that the latest fuel rate hikes, following recent increases in domestic gas cylinder prices, demonstrate a failure in both domestic fiscal management and international trade policies.
In Jalandhar, local organizers emphasized that the rising cost of petroleum products acts as a catalyst for broader inflation, driving up transport costs and the price of basic commodities.
“Due to the wrong policies of the BJP government, common people are suffering under the burden of inflation,” Jalandhar District President Amritpal Singh asserted. “The continuously rising prices of petrol and diesel have completely destroyed the household budgets of ordinary citizens. The increase in fuel prices is affecting every section of society and is also directly impacting essential daily commodities.”
Demonstrators concluded the coordinated action by demanding an immediate rollback of the price increases, warning of broader legislative and public campaigns if the rates remain unchanged.
