WORLD OF CRISIS

Jun 7, 2010

Price Hike Of Petrol And Diesel Opposed By BJP, CPI-M

The empowered group of ministers' (eGOM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee are to meet today to consider an increase in the prices of petrol and diesel.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday to discuss fuel price issue and decontrol of petroleum products.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), however have already stated that they are against any such move.

BJP spokesman Tarun Vijay said, “It will have a direct impact on purchasing power of common citizens.” When asked about the hike in petrol price brought about by the BJP led National Democratic Alliance government, he said, “those decisions were taken in different circumstances when prices were under control.”

He also said that even the consideration of increasing petrol and diesel prices should be “deemed as a failure of the United Progressive Alliance government on economic front, ironically run by an economist prime minister.”

The CPI-M politburo statement too has called it an “unwarranted” move. The statement said, “There are reports that the government is considering a further increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and other petroleum products. This will be totally unwarranted and impose a crushing burden on the people in view of the continuing increase in food prices and inflation.”

The Congress, justifying itself said that it was a carefully considered move as always. Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “The prices have been increased only when there is no other option. The hike has been minimum and what is necessary.”

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