Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien to PM ahead of Rajya Sabha address: ‘What are odds…’

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his speech in Rajya Sabha on Thursday as the upper house bids farewell to its 72 members. “Mr Prime Minister @PMOIndia. Every Thursday (and Thursdays alone) you pop into Rajya Sabha for a few fleeting minutes. What are the odds you will NOT SAY A WORD on this (sic),” the Trinamool Congress leader – who has been known for his sharp attacks on the government – said in a tweet. He shared a report on another fresh rise in fuel prices.

The prime minister is set to address the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Among other speakers who will be bidding farewell to the members retiring will be Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu, leader of the house Piyush Goyal and leader of opposition – the Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge.

The TMC’s Derek’s tweet came as several opposition MPs held a protest at the iconic Vijay Chowk over the price hike of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas in the last few days. The Congress’s Rahul Gandhi led the protest. “In the last 10 days, petrol and diesel price have been increased nine times. We demand that the rising prices should be brought under control. Congress party is holding nationwide protests on this issue today,” he told the reporters.

The Congress has also launched a countrywide protest – ‘Mehngayi Mukt Bharat’ – over the issue, in the party’s first major offensive against the centre after a setback in the assembly elections of five states.

On Thursday, the fuel prices were raised by another 80 paise, and this happened to be the ninth revision in 10 days. The government has linked the surge to the Ukraine war.

“We had predicted that as soon as elections in five states will conclude, the fuel prices will be hiked. We demand that fuel prices be rolled back. The government cannot understand the difficulties being faced by the public because of rising fuel prices,” Congress’s Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told news agency ANI on Thursday as leaders of his party protested.

However, leaders of the opposition have been claiming that the government was waiting for the end of the state elections to rise the prices. The prices increased earlier this month for the first time after a break of four months.

(With inputs from ANI)