Cong workers prepare food on chulah in Kolhapur to protest against LPG shortage & price hike

Kolhapur: Congress workers on Monday staged a protest outside district collectorate in Kolhapur to highlight the soaring LPG prices and the crippling shortage of gas cylinders.As part of the protest, party's women workers squatted on the road, lit a traditional chulah and cooked zunka-bhakri. Just a few feet away, another group sat with an empty cylinder and a silent gas stove, underlining the irony of rising prices and vanishing supply. Their slogans against BJP-led central govt echoed through the premises, demanding an immediate rollback of the LPG price hike and urgent action to resolve the shortage.Congress worker Vedvati Mohite said, "BJP's claim that there is no shortage and the opposition is spreading fear is absolutely false. Let them visit LPG distributors and witness the serpentine queues. If they can't step out, they should at least watch the reels on social media. Reality is just a click away."City Congress chief Sachin Chavan drew a pointed comparison with previous UPA govt. "When Manmohan Singh led the Centre, the country faced a similar crisis, yet LPG prices were not hiked. Back then, a cylinder cost Rs 400. Today, it's Rs 900 for domestic use and Rs 1,900 for commercial. This price shock has crushed the common man. Those who rely on hotels and messes are going hungry because even small eateries cannot afford to cook," he said.A party delegation later met district officials and submitted a memorandum listing their demands, urging the administration to intervene before the crisis deepens further.