Dibrugarh: Members of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Sanmilan (AJYCP) protested in Jorhat on Monday against relentless rise in petrol, diesel and essential commodity prices.Led by AJYCP Jorhat district president Ashim Jyoti Saikia, protesters marched through the town, raising slogans against price rise and demanding govt action. The protest drew considerable public attention as it coincided with yet another hike in fuel prices on Monday — the fourth such increase since the announcement of Assam assembly elections on May 4.“The situation before the assembly elections was entirely different from what people are facing today. Since the election declaration on May 4, petrol and diesel prices have been hiked four times and today alone marks the fourth such hike. This is a direct assault on the pockets of ordinary citizens," Saikia said.The protestors voiced deep frustration over what they described as a systematic failure of governance to protect consumers from runaway inflation. They pointed out that the surge in fuel prices has had a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities and medicines, making daily life increasingly unaffordable for low and middle-income families across the region."The common man is being crushed under the weight of inflation. Fuel prices have shot up repeatedly in a matter of weeks, and this has directly driven up the cost of vegetables, groceries and even life-saving medicines. The government cannot remain a silent spectator to this crisis," Saikia added.The AJYCP also levelled sharp criticism at the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, alleging that the department has failed in its fundamental responsibility to regulate the market and ensure fair pricing for consumers. Protesters further alleged that black marketeers are operating freely, exploiting the situation to profiteer at the expense of the general public, and that authorities have done little to rein them in.The organisation demanded a swift and decisive crackdown on hoarding, black marketing and artificial price inflation, urging the state government to take concrete steps rather than offer empty assurances.Following the protest march, AJYCP members submitted a memorandum to District Commissioner Jay Shivani addressed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, urging his personal intervention in curbing price rise and bringing immediate relief to the people of Assam.The memorandum called on the Chief Minister to direct the relevant departments to enforce strict price controls and crack down on black marketeers.