Bhubaneswar, Mar 11: Members of the women, youth, and student wings of the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a protest demonstration on Wednesday at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar, condemning the recent hike in LPG cylinder prices and the rising cost of essential commodities. The protest was organised jointly by the Biju Mahila Janata Dal, Biju Yuba Janata Dal, and Biju Chatra Janata Dal, drawing participation from several party workers and supporters.

During the demonstration, protestors symbolically prepared tea on traditional earthen chulhas to highlight the growing burden that rising cooking fuel prices have placed on ordinary households. They said the increasing cost of daily essentials is severely affecting middle-class and low-income families.

Senior BJD leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar criticised the Central government over the latest price hike and the surge in essential commodity prices. She stated that domestic LPG cylinder prices have increased by about ₹60, while commercial cylinders have gone up by around ₹119. In addition, cooking oil prices have reached nearly ₹170 per litre, further straining household budgets.

Samantsinghar alleged that the continued price escalation reflects the lack of a strong economic and energy security policy. She claimed that while international price hikes are quickly passed on to consumers, reductions in global oil prices have rarely translated into significant relief for the public.

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