Bhubaneswar: Members of Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), youth and student wing activists of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), today staged demonstration at various petrol pumps across Odisha protesting hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.

They resorted to peaceful demonstration in front of petrol pumps holding banners and placards protesting against the record hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.

"The BYJD and BCJD have been staging protests against the oil price hike since long. But as they fail to have any impact on the people, we have decided now to make the people aware of all the hidden agenda of the Union government," said BCJD president Rana Pratap Patra.

BJD general secretary Sanjay Das Burma had earlier informed that the activists will demonstrate in front of all petrol pumps from 9 am to 12 noon to make people aware about the anti-people steps of the Centre. He said care would be taken to ensure no customer faces any problem during the demonstration.

Alleging that the BJP-led Government at the Centre is exploiting the common people by increasing the excise duty on petrol and diesel, Dasburma said excise duty on petrol which was Rs 9.2 per litre on July 10, 2014 has increased by 200 percent and reached Rs 19.48 per litre as on February 2. Similarly, excise duty on diesel has increased from Rs 3.46 per litre to Rs 15.33 per litre during the same period.

Reacting to the protest, state wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the Naveen Patnaik government should press for inclusion of the petroleum products under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"While the central government slashed tax on the fuel, the state government did not do so for the benefit of the public and it is protesting against the fuel price hike. It should request the GST council to include the petroleum products under GST ambit," said BJP state general secretary Bhrugu Buxipatra.