Cong protests milk price hike, demands rollback

A large number of Delhi Congress workers, led by Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav, held protests outside all Mother Dairy booths across the national capital on Monday, denouncing the recent Rs 2 hike in milk prices.

The protesters carried placards, raised slogans against the BJP government and held a signature campaign, demanding an immediate rollback of the revised rates.

Speaking at a protest site near a Mother Dairy booth at Gandhi Market, Minto Road, Yadav slammed the BJP governments at the Centre and in Delhi for burdening the poor and middle class with spiralling costs.

“The milk price hike will deprive children from economically weaker sections of a basic source of nutrition. Life has become unbearable under the BJP regime due to all-round price rise,” he said.

Prominent Congress leaders, including former Minister Haroon Yusuf, Communication Department chairman Anil Bhardwaj, DCC president Javed Mirza, and ex-municipal councillors Ashok Jain and Krishna Murari Jatav, joined the demonstration. Local residents and consumers also participated in the signature drive.

Yadav claimed that under the Congress government, a litre of milk cost Rs 48, whereas it has risen to Rs 69 under the BJP rule — a 44 per cent jump since 2014. He also highlighted skyrocketing prices of essential food items, citing examples toor dal from Rs 36 to Rs 160 per kg, tomato from Rs 6 to Rs 80 per kg and onion from Rs 10 to Rs 70 per kg.

He further criticised the government for rising fuel and cooking gas prices. “Cooking gas now costs Rs 850 per cylinder, petrol Rs 104 per litre and diesel Rs 88, despite falling international crude prices. The Centre has instead increased excise duty and VAT,” he added.

Yadav also expressed concern over rising healthcare costs. He said most public hospitals prescribe medicines that are only available in the open market, putting life-saving drugs beyond the reach of the poor. “The prices of many essential medicines have seen a sharp rise, denying timely treatment to those who can’t afford it,” he said.