Mysore/Mysuru: Holding Narendra Modi led BJP Government at the Centre responsible for  rising fuel prices and spiralling inflation, the City Congress under the leadership of former KR MLA M.K. Somashekar held a mock funeral of the Centre in the city this morning.

The mock funeral procession, which commenced from B. Rachaiah Circle near CADA Office  on Sayyaji Rao road, passed through the main junctions and Circles before culminating at the burial ground at the foot of Chamundi Hill.

The Congress workers carried replicas of Banks, Railways and other Public Sector Undertakings on a bamboo stretcher and held placards that carried messages against rising fuel prices during the mock funeral procession, in which over 100 Congress workers took part.

Addressing the protestors, former MLA Somashekar said that prices of fuel has been rising consistently over the past few days, which has severely pinched the pockets of common man.  Also, the prices of LPG has more than doubled and Modi should alone take the blame for this, he maintained.

 Accusing the Centre of indiscreet privatisation of Public Sector Undertakings and pursuance of anti-people policies, he said that privatisation moves of the Centre has resulted in loss of jobs and curtailed the growth of economy.

Contending that nationalisation of banks by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had taken Banks closer to common man, Somashekar said that the current privatisation policies of the Centre is taking away banks from the reach of the poor. He further alleged that the Centre was only favouring big corporates while ignoring the plight of the common man, who is hard hit by loss of jobs and spiralling prices.

The former MLA warned of intensifying the protest  if the Centre failed to stem rising prices of fuel and other essential commodities.

Former Mayors Ayub Khan, T.B. Chikkanna and  Pushpalatha T.B. Chikkanna, Congress leader H.A.Venkatesh, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, Corporator Shobha Sunil and others were present.