Congress MPs Benny Behanan and Hibi Eden on Sunday alleged that they were denied seats at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official programme here, though the projects he inaugurated fell in their constituencies. However BJP sources said the matter was brought to the notice of Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who had requested Eden not to keep away from the function.

Alleging breach of protocol at the function, the MPs alleged that no seats were reserved for them on the dias. They did not attend the function.

The prime minister inaugurated a Rs 6,000 crore Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project of oil major Bharat Petroleum at Ambalamugal which falls in Behanan’s constituency. The PM also launched three other programmes in Ernakulam constituency represented by Eden.

Attacking the centre and the state governments over the issue, the MPs said they would petition the Lok Sabha speaker for violating the protocol that MPs from the areas should be given seats on the dias of the Prime Minister’s programme while launching the projects in their constituencies. They also questioned the organisers for allocating a seat for Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, a Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra, on the dias.

They alleged they were denied seats at the programme, fearing they would protest against the soaring prices of fuel and the Modi government’s decision to privatise the BPCL. Meanwhile, workers of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) staged a protest against the fuel price hike and the centre’s decision to privatise the BPCL.

The DYFI workers also launched 500 black balloons in the air and burnt an effigy of the prime minister in protest against the centre’s privatisation move.

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