DMK demands rollback of fuel hike

UPA ally DMK today demanded an immediate rollback of fuel price hike, saying it would have a 'cascading effect' on food prices at a time when the Centre and states were 'grappling with high food inflation.'     In identical letters to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, prime minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, DMK chief and Tamil Nadu chief minister MKarunanidhi sought their immediate intervention for a rollback, at least on the price of diesel to 'protect farmers and the common man.'     He said he wanted to draw their attention to the 'far reaching implications' of the hike.     "You are fully aware that the Centre and the states are grappling with the issue of high food inflation in recent months," the chief minister said     "Any increase in the price of diesel will have a cascading effect on food prices as well as prices of other essential commodities. Therefore, I seek your immediate intervention for a rollback atleast on the price of diesel so as to protect the farmers and the common man".     DMK, on previous occasions had opposed fuel price hike, with party's senior leader and MP TR Baalu protesting against it in Parliament last year.     The budgetary proposal on hike in central excise duty on petrol and diesel and all non-petroleum products has already sparked a demand for a rollback from another UPA ally, the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee.