Congress stages protest in Sirsa over inflation, NEET ‘irregularities’

The District Congress Committee on Tuesday staged a protest at the Mini-Secretariat in Sirsa against rising inflation and the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. The protest was led by district president Santosh Beniwal.

After the demonstration, Congress leaders submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India through the Deputy Commissioner.

Addressing party workers, Beniwal said the alleged leak of the NEET examination paper was a serious and unfortunate matter that had shaken the trust and future of nearly 22 lakh students and their families across the country. He claimed that several students were facing mental stress and depression due to the controversy.

He alleged that paper leak incidents had repeatedly surfaced in competitive examinations over the years, indicating the existence of an organised “paper leak mafia” playing with the future of the youth. He demanded strict and exemplary action against those involved and called for a fair and high-level probe into the matter.

The Congress leader also criticised the Centre over the recent increase in fuel prices. He said the government had raised petrol and diesel prices by more than Rs 3 per litre and CNG prices by Rs 3 per kg on May 15, further burdening people already struggling with inflation and unemployment.

Beniwal said the hike in fuel prices would directly affect transportation, agriculture, industries and daily-use commodities, leading to further increase in prices of food items, vegetables, milk, medicines and construction materials.

He said farmers were among the worst affected sections as diesel was widely used in tractors, tube wells, harvesters and other agricultural machinery, increasing the cost of farming.

The Congress leader alleged that during the BJP government’s 11-year rule, continuous hikes in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices had placed a huge financial burden on the public.

Among those present during the protest were advocates Naresh Malik, KR Pilania, Narendra Sharma, Vikas Dhillon, Santosh Kataria, Chanchal, Jatin, Alka and Rajendra Kasania, besides several local leaders and party workers.

Congress infighting exposed during protest

Infighting within the Congress surfaced during a protest against rising petrol and diesel prices in Sirsa on Wednesday as none of the party’s three MLAs attended the demonstration led by District Congress president Santosh Beniwal. Asked about the absence of MLAs Gokul Setia, Shishpal Keharwala and Bharat Singh Beniwal, Beniwal said she was fulfilling her responsibility by raising public issues and informing all leaders about the programme. In an apparent swipe at absent leaders, she said no one was bigger than the party and added that the public would decide the political future of elected representatives. Meanwhile, some local Congress leaders announced another protest and submission of a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on Thursday over the same issue.