Sanjay Raut's MLA Brother, Ex-Corporator Booked For Protest In Mumbai Over Gas Price Hikes

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut and former corporator Rashmi Pahudkar have been booked for holding protest against hiked gas prices in Vikhroli without police permission.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Raut was booked for protesting without police permission in Vikhroli area of Mumbai.

Source : Facebook/SunilRaut

A case has been registered against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut at the Vikhroli police station for holding a protest in the Vikhroli area of Mumbai without the required police permisison and for blocking the Eastern Expressway.

Former corporator and Sena UBT leader Rashmi Pahudkar was also booked under relevant BNS sections for the same reason. The Sena UBT leaders were protesting against the increased gas prices when the police took action against them. 

Mumbai Police said the demonstration caused a traffic jam on the Eastern Expressway, leading to their detention and an FIR under BNS sections 223, 126(2), and 37(1), news agency IANS reported.

CNG, Piped Cooking Gas Prices Hiked In Mumbai

The protests come as the prices of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and piped cooking gas were hiked in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) starting Wednesday.The price of CNG has increased by Rs 1.50 per kg, while piped natural gas (PNG) for households has been raised by Rs 1 per unit.

"On account of the increase in the price of domestic gas coupled with an increase in the exchange rate, MGL is constrained to increase domestic PNG price by one rupee/unit and CNG price by Rs1.5/kg in and around Mumbai from April 9," Times Of India quoted a senior official from Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) as saying.

Due to the revision in prices, CNG will now cost Rs 79.50 per kg in Mumbai, Thane, and nearby areas, while the new price of piped gas stands at Rs 49 per unit.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had slammed the Maharashtra government over the hike in prices at a time when global crude prices are dropping. Voicing strong opposition, he demanded that this financial relief should be transferred to consumers.

Raut also urged the women BJP leaders who protested against gas price hikes during the UPA era, asking them to join in Shiv Sena's protests. He criticised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, saying that not reducing gas prices was "adding fuel to the fire".