UPA allies are hypocrites: Brinda Karat

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo member Brinda Karat came down heavily on Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and some other UPA allies terming them as 'hyprocrites' on various issues, including the petrol price hike.

If Mamata was really concerned about the well-being of the people, why was she not withdrawing support to the Centre, Karat asked on the sidelines of a demonstration organised by CPI-M's local unit against petrol price hike.

When opposition parties were questioning her why she was not withdrawing support, the prompt reply was that she (Mamata) did not want to destabilise the government, Karat said. "Is it ok for Mamata to destabilise the people, who are suffering due to the price hike?," she told reporters.

Same was the case with DMK, which was not forthcoming despite visibly seeing people suffering due to the price hike, she said.

Rating UPA 2 as a 'disaster and anti-people', she said it was acting "like thieves" by announcing the increase of prices from midnight as the government did not want to "face the MPs and people in daylight."

"This (increase of petrol price) is the most nasty gift the UPA government can give to the people during its third anniversary", Karat said.

Earlier addressing the demonstration, she said despite the crude oil prices coming down by 15 per cent, the Centre had the "audacity to increase the price of petrol."