Addressing mediapersons, state party president Ram Sharan Das, who led the demonstration here, said that, by raising diesel prices, the Government had increased the cost of agricultural production. Wheat and paddy production was already not remunerative and the recent hike had broken the backbone of farmers, he said. It had hit other sections of society also as the prices of essential commodities brought by trucks from other states had skyrocketed, he said, adding the BJP-led Government had turned insensitive to the plight of the people. Housewives of the state were now regretting voting the BJP to power, he added.

The SP state chief said that, by introducing the Insurance Bill, the Centre had endangered the nation's sovereignty. TheVajpayee Government must roll back the increase in diesel price and withdraw the Insurance Bill, he said.Das said the dharnas and rallies passed off peacefully. In Etawah, the demonstration was led by Ram Gopal Yadav and in Agra by Raj Babbar.