BJP calls petro hike as 'midnight deceit'

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday alleged that the hike in petrol prices was yet another act of "midnight deceit" by the UPA and insisted that the common man would not spare the dispensation led by the "economist" Prime Minister for its arrogance.

"This is yet another midnight deceit with the people of India. The Congress party has unleashed a terror of a different kind on the common man. While the Congress

completely remains insensitive the Prime Minister and the government have once again cheated the people," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.

Rudy maintained that these appear to be attempts by the Congress led government to teach the common man a lesson.

"The BJP is of a firm opinion that the Economist PM has shamed the nation once again," Rudy said.

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The Left parties demanded immediate roll-back of petrol price hike saying Congress-led government has become totally insensitive to the woes of the common man.

Both CPI-M and CPI also asked their state units to protest the move by staging demonstrations in all nooks and corners.

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BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy pointed out that this hike of Rs 1.82 per litre of petrol has come at a time when the country is already reeling under a whopping food inflation which has remained untamed for the last three years and overall inflation remains unabated.

"The government cannot be spared anymore and it is high time to crush their arrogance. The BJP wonders whether this repeated raising of prices in the last three months by over Rs 7, is a reaction against the middle class raising a pitch and a banner of revolt against corruption," Rudy said.

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CPI's national secretary D Raja said the hike in petrol prices was a big blow to the "Aam Admi" at a time when food inflation has reached double digits and prices of essential commodities have shot up.

"It shows how insensitive, the Congress-led UPA government continues to be to the suffering of the common people," he said.

Alleging that there is "no transparency" in the fixation of petrol prices, Raja rued that the decision has been taken when the Prime Minister is away.

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CPI-M leader Nilotpal Basu also said the government was "totally insensitive" to the miseries of the people.

"The taxation policy of hydro-carbon is totally anti-people. Due to ad valorem taxes when the prices of petrol increases, tax collection rises even more," he said.

Basu said that the hike has also come at a time when the Petroleum ministry has already announced moves to hike diesel and cooking prices. The CPI-M leader said that it will lead to rise in prices of essential commodities.

Both leaders said the protest will be carried out all over the country.