Demonstrations against petrol price hike

Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) in a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil describing the price hike as arbitrary and illogical and sought her intervention in the matter.

It demanded regulation of the price of petroleum products by the Centre, the memorandum said the Centre should immediately roll-back the petrol price by announcing subsidy.

The activists took out a bicycle rally from the party headquarters here to Raj Bhavan where they staged a demonstration in support of the demand.

BJP and CPI also staged demonstrations and put up road blockades.

In Ganjam district, BJP activists staged demonstrations in Berhampur on NH 217, while the CPI blocked NH 5 for about three hours at Chamakhandi, demanding to rollback of petrol prices.

They also brunt the effigy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The protesters threatened to intensify their agitation, while BJP Yuva Morcha threatened to close the petrol pumps in various places.

Reports of protest were also received from Cuttack and other places.