Indians are finding unique ways to protest against steadily climbing fuel prices in the country. In the city of Kochi, members of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association sat in front of the office of the Indian Oil Corporation, an integrated oil company, and had their heads tonsured.
The members, mostly owners of hotels and restaurants, highlighted their plight of increasing costs of running their businesses at a time when their industry has already been hit by the pandemic.
Members of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association on Tuesday held a unique protest against rising #fuel and cooking gas prices by getting their heads tonsured in public, in front of the Indian Oil Corporation office at Panampilly Nagar. Photo: Thulasi Kakkat pic.twitter.com/yYpsjXf4W3
— The Hindu - Kerala (@THKerala) March 2, 2021
With four states and one union territory in the country heading for polls in the next two months, political leaders from various opposition parties are riding cycles to draw attention to their cause and protest against rising fuel prices.
In the state of Punjab where the Congress Party is in power, legislators from the opposition Aam Aadmi Party held a cycle rally against the government and rode to the state assembly to attend the state's budget session on Monday.
AAP MLAs reaching Punjab Vidhan Sabha for the Budget session on bicycles.
— Chitleen K Sethi (@ChitleenKSethi) March 1, 2021
The ten day #Punjabbudgetsession begins today. pic.twitter.com/KlH7nm6lkF
Speaking to Sputnik, the leader of the opposition in the Punjab legislative assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema, said that the pandemic has already led to financial problems for people and now the inreasing rates of fuel have made it difficult for the common man to make ends meet.
In Mumbai, India's financial capital, leaders of the opposition Congress Party rode to the state assembly on bicycles, holding placards, and chanting slogans demanding fuel prices be lowered.
Maharashtra Congress organises a cycle rally to protest against the Centre for #FuelPriceHike.https://t.co/QY4wCki6RG
— Mumbai Mirror (@MumbaiMirror) March 1, 2021
Last week, Mamata Banerjee, chief of West Bengal, tried to ride an e-vehicle to show her protest. While she underwent rigourous training to drive the two wheeler, she rode a pillion instead.
Mamta Banerjee nearly fell from the scooter as she went to protest against fuel price hike
— Ashish Jaggi (@AshishJaggi_1) February 25, 2021
A must watch
😂😂 pic.twitter.com/ymYKg2oKHo
To train Mamta Banerjee for riding scooter the whole administration of Kolkata was involved by blocking main roads, these type of politicians have ruined our country e. pic.twitter.com/rpe2tJShg0
— Kavyashri (@Kavyash22573143) February 28, 2021
The leader of the opposition in the state of Bihar also rode a cycle to express his angst against rising rates.
tejashwi yadav on cycle photo rjd leader went bihar vidhan sabha on cylce as protest against petrol disel price hike lalu yadav cycle pic also viral on social media skt https://t.co/jV8lCf3Cm5
— Ranjay बेरोजगार (@Ranjay80590848) February 27, 2021
Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress Party leader symbolically pulled an auto-rickshaw, a three-wheeled vehicle, in the capital of Kerala to protest against fuel price hikes.
Symbolically pulled an auto-rickshaw in Thiruvananthapuram to protest extortionate fuel taxes & the failure of both Central & State governments to reduce their share of the loot. Over a hundred autos joined the protest under the auspices of @INTUCnational pic.twitter.com/e0D0M29Ffj
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 26, 2021
