SAD to support Bharat Bandh on May 31

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to support the nationwide bandh call given by the NDA to protest against the recent hike in petrol prices and escalating prices of other essential commodities.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has decided to support the nationwide bandh call given by the NDA to protest against the recent hike in petrol prices and escalating prices of other essential commodities.

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In a statement, SAD patron and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said on Thursday that his party would support the 'Bharat Bandh' in order to mount pressure on the Congress-led UPA government for immediate rollback of this hike which was "absolutely unacceptable."

Badal said it was deplorable on the part of the UPA government to have hike the prices of petrol 16 times during the last three years thereby "crushing the backbone of the common man due to spiraling prices contrary to its tall claims of being the sole votary of the common man."

He said it was amply clear that the people of country would not tolerate such irrational decisions taken by the Centre unilaterally at the behest of oil companies anymore.