Did you know Atal Bihari Vajpayee once went to Parliament to protest the petrol price rise?

A video of former prime minister Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee is viral on social media, where he can be seen riding the Indian Parliament.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and tweeted a rare video of India’s former prime minister Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Rare footage from 1973 of an opposition protest when petrol prices were raised by seven Paise. Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrived in Parliament on a bullock cart (which would not be possible today with the new security restrictions on vehicle entry into the complex!) pic.twitter.com/1hd97kgoMG

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 3, 2021

The video was shared and tweeted by many other leaders like Derek O’Brien. He wrote on Twitter, “When petrol prices were increased by a few paisas (7 paise?) in 1973, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had travelled to #Parliament on a bullock cart in protest.”  

History. Ouch.

When petrol prices were increased by a few paisa (7 paisa?) in 1973, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had travelled to #Parliament on a bullock cart in protest.

Video credit: As received on WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/QX1lwzjCuu

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) July 3, 2021

Rising petrol prices In India in 1973

In 1973, when the price of petrol was increased by 7 paise, Vajpayee reached Parliament by bullock cart and opposed the increase in price. Opposition leaders made this 48-year-old video a weapon and turned it towards the BJP government.

Another user quoted, “Seven paise of 1973 will now be equivalent to Rs 24. Besides the Govt control over fuel price was deregulated during the Congress regime & you very well knew that the present BJP Government has no control over the fuel price.”

Seven paise of 1973 will now be equivalent to Rs 24. Besides the Govt control over fuel price was deregulated during the Congress regime & you very well knew that the present BJP Government has no control over the fuel price.

— H S Benjamin Mate (@BenjaminMate1) July 3, 2021

As per the NYTimes article from 1973, The Jan Sanghi party leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and two other members rode in a bullock cart to Parliament House to demonstrate the “ludicrous nature” of Mrs Gandhi's ride last week in a buggy. Several others came in bicycles. Last Monday, Mrs Gandhi had a brief but widely publicized ride in a two‐wheeled horse cart to set an example in conserving gasoline in the face of shortages.