Mahila Cong protests LPG price hike in Imphal

Imphal: Members of the Manipur Pradesh Mahila Congress on Sunday staged a protest in Imphal against the recent hike in LPG prices, demanding an immediate rollback of the increase in price and the resignation of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The demonstration, led by Manipur Mahila Congress president Sarma Mutum, was held at the Congress Bhavan in Imphal, where party workers raised slogans against the Centre over the rise in cooking gas prices.




The price of domestic LPG cylinders was raised by Rs 60 and commercial cylinders by Rs 115, effective from Saturday, amid pressures on the fuel market due to the conflict in West Asia.

Addressing the gathering, Mutum said the hike in prices of cooking gas would place an additional burden on ordinary families. “The increase in LPG prices is particularly distressing at a time when many people in Manipur are already facing economic difficulties due to the crisis in the state. While affluent households may still be able to manage the rising costs, the middle class and economically weaker sections would be the worst affected,” she said. Women, who often manage household expenses, would feel the immediate impact of the hike, she added.

The protesters also questioned the effectiveness of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, stating that many beneficiaries received free LPG connections only once or twice, one while being listed as a beneficiary and the other while receiving the gas consumer card. “Many Ujjwala beneficiaries are struggling to afford refills due to high prices,” she said.

The Mahila Congress urged the central govt to understand the suffering of citizens and immediately reduce LPG prices to ease the financial burden on households across the country.