New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Taking its protest further against price rise and inflation, Congress will hold a massive public meeting "Mehangai Hatao Rally" on December 12 at the national capital.

The rally will be addressed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders from across the country.

Congress said it shall continue to raise these issues both inside and outside the Parliament to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre.

"The real issues affecting people of India are the backbreaking prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, which have had a spiralling effect on the prices of all foods and other consumable items. Every home is affected by the merciless rise in prices of cooking oil, pulses and other food items. Perhaps for the first time, the price of tomato has surpassed the price of petrol and diesel in India. Construction material like cement, iron and steel has seen a rise of nearly 40 per cent to 50 per cent. Everything is gradually going out of the reach of the common man," read the Congress statement.

The party said that the central government either remains indifferent to the woes and agony of common people or mocks it on other occasions.

Earlier in November, in a significant decision, the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel to bring down the prices of the two petroleum products which had been seeing an upward trend.

The relief to consumers came on the eve of Diwali. The Finance Ministry said that excise duty on petrol will come down by Rs 5 and that on diesel by Rs 10.

It urged the states "to commensurately reduce" VAT on petrol and diesel to give relief to consumers. Following the Centre's suit, many other states have also announced a reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel. (ANI)