Activists of Communist party of India shout slogans during a protest against fuel price hike by the government, in Hyderabad on June 25. (AP Photo)
NEW DELHI, JUNE 25 (AGENCIES):The government on Saturday (June 25) came under immense pressure after opposition parties launched a nationwide protest against the hike in prices of diesel and LPG at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The protests led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes a day after the government called the hike of the prices of diesel by Rs 3, LPG by Rs 50 and kerosene by Rs 2, as minimal.
UPA ally Trinamool Congress too hit the streets along with political rivals demanding an immediate rollback of the increase. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee opposed the hike in fuel prices, saying it will put the common man in great difficulty. “We do not support the repeated rise in fuel prices. This will put the common man in great difficulty. We have conveyed our view where it needs to be conveyed,” Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is a key UPA ally, said in Kolkata.
Pointing out that fuel prices were already high, she said “kerosene and domestic gas are used by common people. The price of petrol was also recently hiked.” On Friday, the BJP had yesterday dared the UPA allies opposing the move to leave the alliance as a mark of support to the common people. “BJP President Nitin Gadkari has announced that the party will hold protests from the district to the national level across the country against the hike,” BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told yesterday.
He alleged that the hike has been announced by the government to “serve the interest of the oil mafia”. Describing the hike in diesel and LPG prices by the Government as an “inhuman step”, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said, “The increase will also affect India’s growth story.” “The step to increase the LPG and diesel prices is an inhuman step, considering that this government has not taken any measures to contain food inflation,” said Sitharaman.
She said the hike will have a cascading effect on inflation. “This government is not looking at controlling inflation and is only focussed on growth, which will also be affected with this hike”. Terming the government as “cruel and insensitive” towards the common man, Sitharaman said , “The aam aadmi will be badly affected due to this hike. The inhuman step has come at a time when the government has not attended to controlling inflation.”
UPA ally Trinamool Congress too hit the streets along with political rivals demanding an immediate rollback of the increase. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee opposed the hike in fuel prices, saying it will put the common man in great difficulty. “We do not support the repeated rise in fuel prices. This will put the common man in great difficulty. We have conveyed our view where it needs to be conveyed,” Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is a key UPA ally, said in Kolkata.
Pointing out that fuel prices were already high, she said “kerosene and domestic gas are used by common people. The price of petrol was also recently hiked.” On Friday, the BJP had yesterday dared the UPA allies opposing the move to leave the alliance as a mark of support to the common people. “BJP President Nitin Gadkari has announced that the party will hold protests from the district to the national level across the country against the hike,” BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told yesterday.
He alleged that the hike has been announced by the government to “serve the interest of the oil mafia”. Describing the hike in diesel and LPG prices by the Government as an “inhuman step”, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said, “The increase will also affect India’s growth story.” “The step to increase the LPG and diesel prices is an inhuman step, considering that this government has not taken any measures to contain food inflation,” said Sitharaman.
She said the hike will have a cascading effect on inflation. “This government is not looking at controlling inflation and is only focussed on growth, which will also be affected with this hike”. Terming the government as “cruel and insensitive” towards the common man, Sitharaman said , “The aam aadmi will be badly affected due to this hike. The inhuman step has come at a time when the government has not attended to controlling inflation.”
