From Wednesday midnight, states owned oil companies hiked petrol price by Rs. 7.50 plus local taxes – the biggest hit of past10 years, opposing the hike prices, NDA called a nation-wide bandh on May 31.
Threatening the government to go with a huge agitation national strike, opposition asked to roll back the hike amid fears that LPG and diesel prices will go up next.
Announcing the statement, NDA convenor and JDU President Sharad Yadav said that all the partners of the opposition alliance friends have been consulted in this regard, bringing pressure on government. Efforts are also seeking to support of government’s own allies for the national strike.
Shocking fact is that no party has been known about this move. Each said that the decision of petrol price hike was without discussion with the government’s allies; their consultation was lacked even in Parliament which was in session till Tuesday.
Mamta Banerjee, DMK’s M Karunanidhi and even SP party, all are claiming govt. not to discussed this regard before the hike and asked to commit with a rollback.
“We demand immediate roll back of petrol price hike. The decision is anti-people,” SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury told while asking about his participation in Bharat Bandh.
Over this, Government clearing its hand by saying that the hike in petrol prices has been done by petroleum companies as the pricing of petrol stands deregulated, there is no little bit involvement of the Center.
Calling it “an eyewash”, Yadav said, “Government has washed his hands off the decision on price hike but in reality it happens only when the Government wants. The Government will also be increasing prices of diesel and LPG after the Presidential elections gets over.”
Though everyone wants to know why was the decision to hike the petrol price taken just a day after the session got over, even prices of commodities are rising uncontrollably that is a completely wrong policy that effects would impacted over the Common people.
Beside JD(U) chief, BJP leader Prakash Javadekar accused the UPA Government of being “given this gift of petrol price hike to the people on its third anniversary”.
State oil companies claimed this move is stepped to bear the loses that are already Rs. 8000 crores per annum suffered till date during current financial year 2012-13, because of sell petrol at subsidised rates.
“Given the losses being incurred, the company is compelled to increase the price of petrol by Rs.6.28 per litre (excluding VAT/Sales Tax) with effect from midnight,” Indian Oil Company stated in a statement, while oil PSUs increased the price of petrol by Rs 7.50 per litre.
However, hike in petrol price is likely to vary from state to state depending on sales and local VAT taxes. Due to huge pressure by parties, UPA government in Uttarakhand recently announced to remove 25% VAT on petrol.
