New Delhi: Making a strong pitch for an immediate rollback of the hike in diesel prices, UPA allies and opposition parties have threatened to take to the streets with Samajwadi Party saying it will “not hesitate to take stern steps.”
While the Congress party termed the government’s decision as one “forced” upon it due to rise in international crude oil prices, Samajwadi Party general secretary Naresh Agarwal, whose party is giving outside support to the UPA government, said his party “has never and will never back this government on the issue of price rise.
“We will oppose this hike and take to the streets,” he said.
The Trinamool Congress has also opposed the price increase and the curb on purchasing subsidised cooking gas cylinders and its chief Mamata Banerjee is set to lead a street rally in Kolkata on Saturday demanding their rollback.
The DMK, another ally, has termed the price hike as “very high” and unexpected and is seeking a stay on the decision.
Describing the move as a cruel joke and a “mortal blow” on the common man and farmers, BJP has accused the government of conspiring with petrol ‘mafia’.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who heads the Congress-led UDF government, said, “If it is difficult to completely roll back the increase, the Centre should at least reduce the hike.”
The government on Thursday hiked diesel prices by Rs 5.63 per litre and capped the supply of subsidised LPG to six cylinders per household per year.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi blamed high international prices of crude oil for forcing the rise.
BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said the restriction on LPG cylinder will have a minimum burden of Rs 750 every month on each family.
Demanding a rollback, the Left said it will discuss with other political parties the issue of launching a “powerful” movement against the hike and also took the opportunity to attack Trinamool Congress for its “hypocrisy and double standards”.
The CPI(M)’s Prakash Karat said both the diesel price hike and LPG restriction will hit the common people and said his party will strongly protest the move.
In Bhubaneshwar, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik termed the diesel hike and restriction on LPG cylinders as a “breakdown” of the Centre’s economic policies and demanded their immediate reversal. (PTI)