West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday rode pillion on an electric scooter during a rally against rising fuel prices in the country. Banerjee sat behind state minister Firhad Hakim during the five-km-long journey from Hazra More to the state secretariat. After reaching Nabanna, Banerjee slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre saying, “We are protesting against the fuel price hike. The Modi government only makes false promises. They have done nothing to bring down fuel prices. You can see the difference in petrol prices when the Modi government came to power and now.”
“Modi and Shah are selling the country. This is an anti-people’s government,” she added. In Bengal, the price of petrol and diesel has climbed to Rs 91.12 per liter and Rs 84.20 per liter, respectively. West Bengal government on Sunday announced a reduction of tax by Re 1 per liter on petrol and diesel effective from midnight. The Centre, defending the price rise, had said that oil retailers in India have been forced to increase prices since the global crude oil prices have risen by more than 50 per cent to over $63.3 per barrel since October.