The Prime Minister is also understood to have directed Deora to explain the circumstances that led to the hike to leaders of the Left Parties.
NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday ruled out any rollback in the fuel price hike announced on Monday, a decision that evoked sharp protests from political parties including the Congress and ruling United Progressive Alliance's Left allies.
"The government has decided that there would be no rollback," Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan said shortly after Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ending speculation.
Deora said that he met the prime minister earlier in the day, but declined to divulge details of the discussion.
"As far as I am concerned, this issue (fuel price hike) is over," the minister said.
The prime minister is believed to have told Deora that there would be no rollback and he also approved the ministry's publicity and advertisement campaign to make people aware of the compulsions for the Rs 4 per litre hike in the price of petrol and Rs 2 in diesel.
Deora, who had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday evening, is understood to have apprised Singh about the developments related to the fuel price hike, including the feedback he got from the political arena.
The prime minister is also understood to have directed Deora to explain the circumstances to leaders of the Left parties, who have announced their decision to agitate against the cabinet decision of Monday.
Deora will talk to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Chief Minister of the Left-ruled West Bengal, in this connection.
Govt firm, so is Congress
Javed M Ansari/Sanjay Singh
NEW DELHI: Despite the Centre’s assertion that it has no intention of rolling back the rise in petrol and diesel prices, the Congress remains confident of a partial cut. “We believe the common man is being hit hard by the price rise and remain confident that the government will heed our request,” spokesman Rajiv Shukla said.
The impression in political circles is that the party’s demand is part of a carefully crafted strategy to checkmate its opponents.
But as of Wednesday there was no sign of the government giving in, though Petroleum Minister Murli Deora met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the issue.
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