Don't make price rise a 'prestige issue': Nitish Kumar to Centre

Claiming widespread people's support to the 'Bharat bandh' today, chief minister Nitish Kumar said it was high time the Centre roll back prices of petroleum products.

"The bandh evoked widespread people's support... Now the Centre should immediately take back its decision on the price
of petroleum products," Kumar said.

Asking the Centre not to make the petroleum products price rise a "prestige issue", Kumar said it should not become "a weapon to break the back of common people".

"In a democratic set-up, people's mandate must be respected and the Centre should work towards addressing the problem for the purpose," he added.

Normal life was thrown out of gear today in Bihar due to the nation-wide strike called by NDA and Left parties to protest the fuel price hike, while 3,500 supporters including senior leaders were taken into preventive custody.

This was the first time key NDA ally JD(U) was sharing a platform with BJP after barbs of Nitish Kumar against Gujarat chief  minister Narendra Modi last month over the advertisement
issue.