Assam students' union protest petrol price hike

The All Assam Students Union on Friday burnt the effigy of Union Petroleum Minister Jaipal Reddy in protest against hike in petroleum price and termed the decision of the public sector oil companies to increase the petroleum price grossly anti-people.

Shouting slogans against the minister and the United Progressive Alliance government in Guwahati, AASU members accused the Union government of being indifferent to the sufferings of the common people, who are already reeling under spiraling prices.

The students' body said another hike in petrol price would trigger further escalation of prices.

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity, a non-governmental organisation fighting for the cause of landless farmers and flood evicted people of Assam, also staged a protest against the price hike.

NGO workers briefly blocked Mother Teresa road that passed through a posh area in the city to mark its protests. Reports of similar protests have been coming in from different parts of the state and other parts of the North East.