Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee rode pillion on an electric scooter in the streets of Kolkata, to protest against rise in fuel prices.
Banerjee, who was being driven by TMC Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, took the scooter from her residence to the state secretariat, Nabanna, instead of being driven in a car like she usually is.
The CM, who had also said that she would be taking the electric scooter on her way back home, was later seen driving it herself on the way to Kalighat from Nabanna.
The distance between Mamata's home in Kolkata's Kalighat and the state secretariat in Howrah is approximately 8.6 km.
"The TMC will continue protesting this vehemently. Charity begins at home. That's why I took this journey on the battery car. I'm speaking from outside the Secretariat gate because I'm making a political statement,” Mamata said after reaching the Secretariat.
"The way petrol, diesel and gas prices have increased is appalling. Gas cylinders are now costing 800 per unit. Kerosene oil is unavailable,” she said.
"What were the prices when the Modi government came to power? What are the prices now? This is looting the common person. This is putting them in a position of helplessness,” she added.
“Earlier, diesel prices were low because farmers used it to run tractors. Now farmers are also not cared about,” she further said.
The Chief Minister also hit out at the Modi government for "changing" the name of the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad and naming it after the Prime Minister.
"Who knows, someday they may change the name of the country as well!" she said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)