'Diesel price hike breakdown of UPA's economic policy'

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday termed the hike in diesel price and restriction on LPG cylinders as a "breakdown" of the Centre's economic policies and demanded immediate rollback of the decision.

"It is a breakdown and failure of the economic policy of the Government of India. Steep rise of diesel price will affect every person, particularly the poor," Patnaik said.

Observing that price rise will hit essential commodities and food, Patnaik said the transport cost would also increase.

"We demand immediate roll back of the diesel price," he said.

Admitting that the diesel price rise will hit the common man, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik suggested that the state government reduce the rate of sales tax.

"Reducing the sales tax is the only alternative to give relief to poor people," the Congress leader said.

Panchayati Raj minister Kalpataru Das urged people to "discard" the Congress for its anti-poor stand in the next elections.

The state unit of CPI also asked people to oppose the Centre's decision on diesel.

"The UPA government has no mercy for the poor people," state CPI secretary Dibakar Nayak said.

CPI and BJD workers held separate rallies against the diesel price hike.

The government yesterday hiked diesel prices by Rs 5.62 per litre and restricted the supply of subsidised cooking gas to 6 cylinders per household in a year. PTI AAM PC DV 09141515 NNNN