Mysore/Mysuru: Strongly condemning the exorbitant LPG cylinder price and frequent increase in its prices, about 40 people, led by former Krishnaraja MLA M.K. Somashekar, staged a protest at Chamundipuram Circle here this morning as also dumped a LPG cylinder into a garbage vehicle.

The former MLA said that the frequent increase in LPG cylinder prices was unscientific which was causing a lot of problems to the middle class and the poor. Pointing out that LPG was as important as air, water and light, he said that a day would come when the people come to the streets protesting against the Centre.

He said that the LPG cylinder price was Rs. 380 when the crude oil price was 118 dollars a barrel and added that now, when the crude oil price was 66 dollars, the cost of LPG cylinder now was Rs. 824.

Pointing out that there has been an increase of Rs. 125 per LPG cylinder in 25 days, the former MLA said that even the prices of petrol and diesel has increased resulting in a middle class family coughing up an additional Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 per month.

The protesters led by the former MLA later dumped a LPG cylinder into a garbage vehicle as a protest.

Former Mayors Pushpalatha Jagannath and Narayan, Corporators Gopi and Shobha Sunil, leaders P. Raju, Dairy Venkatesh, Srinath Babu and others took part in the protest.