Price hike fuels politicking

While the general public bore the brunt of the steep rise in prices of petroleum products, the two major political parties BJP and Congress played a blame game by staging demonstrations at the same venue in the City ? Divisional Commissioner?s office ? on Thursday.

While the general public bore the brunt of the steep rise in prices of petroleum products, the two major political parties BJP and Congress played a blame game by staging demonstrations at the same venue in the City – Divisional Commissioner’s office – on Thursday.

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The demonstrations were staged by the BJP City unit and activists of Youth Congress (YC). The agitators chanted slogans against each other. While the BJP accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre for the increase in prices, YC activists blamed the State BJP for imposing taxes leading to the increase.

Terming the increase as an anti-public move, BJP divisional spokesman Govind Malu said that it’s effects would not be limited to transport, but would be felt in all spheres of life as common articles would get dearer.

The increase in the price of petrol by Rs 4 and in diesel of Rs 2 symbolised the insensitivity of the Central Government. The price of petrol had increased by Rs 18 and diesel by Rs 13 in the past two years alone.

City general secretary Vijay Yadav, who accused the State Government of increasing fuel prices by levying taxes, led the YC agitation. They blamed the policies formulated under the previous BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee for letting the situation come to such a pass that fuel prices became dependent on prices of crude in the international market. Yadav said the BJP, therefore, had no moral right to condemn the Central Government.