In Kalaburagi, members of the district unit of the Congress Women’s Wing took to the streets on Monday to voice their strong opposition to the recent increase in LPG cylinder prices. The demonstration, held in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, highlighted widespread frustration over the financial strain imposed on ordinary families by the hike.
Protesters sharply criticised the BJP-led Central government for raising the price of domestic LPG cylinders by ₹60, describing the move as a harsh step that hits hardest at low-income households. They pointed out that many beneficiaries of the Ujjwala scheme, intended to provide subsidised cooking fuel to the poor, now face greater difficulties affording this essential commodity.
The price of commercial LPG cylinders rose by ₹114.50, an increase that demonstrators said would inevitably pass on added costs to everyday consumers through higher prices for goods and services.
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Leading the agitation, Renuka M. Singhe, district president of the Congress Women Unit, accused the Central government of disregarding the needs of common people and exploiting their reliance on cooking gas. She stated that the price escalation represents more than a mere adjustment—it adds significant pressure to families already grappling with escalating living expenses. Ujjwala beneficiaries, promised affordable energy for cooking, have been particularly disadvantaged, she added.
To underscore their message, party workers placed LPG cylinders across the road as a symbolic blockade. In a striking display, women participants cooked rotis using traditional wood-fired chulhas on the street, illustrating how unaffordable modern fuel is pushing households back to older, less convenient methods.
The protesters accused the Centre of favouring corporate and commercial priorities at the expense of public welfare. They described the repeated increases in cooking gas and other fuel costs as a quiet erosion of household budgets, with women—who typically handle daily kitchen responsibilities—bearing the brunt.
The demonstration reflects growing discontent in the region over fuel pricing policies amid broader economic pressures.
