After two rounds of cuts, petrol prices were increased by Rs 3.96 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.37 a litre on Thursday
The NDA government today came under attack from ally PMK and opposition parties for the "massive" hike in prices of petrol and diesel with a demand being made for an immediate rollback and revisiting the price fixation policy for petroleum products.
Accusing the government of following anti-people's policies, the opposition parties said the hike will impose an "unprecedented burden" on people and trigger inflationary pressures.
"Central government is following anti-people policies. When international crude prices fall, the benefit is not passed on to the common man. Government could have ensured the prices did not go up by lowering Excise Duty. But Centre is concerned only about its revenue and has passed on the burden to the people," PMK Youth Wing Leader and Dharmapuri MP Anbumani Ramadoss said. Congress accused the government of "profiteering at the cost of gullible farmer and common man."
The party's media department incharge Randeep Surjewala said the increase is "another step reflecting a disconnect with people-oriented governance". "Instead of adjusting excise and customs duty revenue which is leading to an accrual of additional Rs 90,000 crore, government is profiteering at the cost of gullible farmer and common man", he said.
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa demanded that the price fixation policy for the petroleum products be revisited. "The increase in prices of petrol and diesel effected by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) will result in the rates of all commodities going up. The lives of ordinary people will be impacted due to this," she said. The hike will result in inflation going up further, she said in a statement in Chennai. She said it would be 'appropriate' to determine the prices of petrol and diesel based on international crude prices rather than on the said fuels' rates in the global market.
The latest hike by the OMCs should be immediately rolled back and Centre should wrest the authority of fixing fuel prices from the former, she added. "The latest hike in petrol and diesel prices are harsh," DMK President M Karunanidhi said. He said the government took the benefit when global crude prices went down and passed on the burden when they soared. "Adopting such an unequal approach is condemnable. Such frequent revision of fuel prices impact the lives of the poorer sections," he added.
The CPI (M) said the hike will impose an "unprecedented burden" on people and urged them to protest against the "latest imposition of burden" on their livelihood. Accusing the government of being "insensitive" to the problems of the common man, senior CPI leader D Raja attacked the government for asking oil marketing companies (OMCs) to hike diesel and petrol prices "arbitrarily".
After two rounds of cuts, petrol prices were increased by Rs 3.96 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.37 a litre yesterday, tracking global cues.
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