'UPA insensitive to concerns of common man', says CPI on petrol price hike

New Delhi, May 23 (ANI): The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Wednesday strongly opposed the decision to hike petrol price, and said that this move of the UPA Government shows that it is insensitive to concerns of the common man, already under tremendous burden.

"We strongly oppose this present hike in the price of petrol. It is huge burden on the common people. Already the prices of essential commodities have shot up and the inflation on food items, vegetables have gone beyond more than 60 percent. In such a situation, the hike in petrol will lead to cost cutting effort. This is just a prelude to what the government is going to do in the coming days. The oil marketing companies will be asked to hike the price of diesel also," said CPI leader D. Raja.

"So, the hike in the price of petrol is unprecedented, it will burden the common people in a big way. And this government has become so insensitive, it shows the failure of the government to understand the concerns, the burden of the common people. It is so insensitive to the concerns of the common people," he added.

Demanding the government to immediately withdraw its decision to hike petrol price, Raja said: "And on behalf of the CPI, I demand that the government should instruct the oil marketing companies to rollback this hike in the price of petrol and withdraw this hike in the price of petrol. And it should not think of hiking the price of diesel tomorrow or day after tomorrow. And it is nothing, but betraying the people."

"The Congress-led UPA II Government celebrated three years of its rule yesterday and this is the gift government is giving to the people. This is a big blow on the common people and the CPI we strongly condemn this and we demand the immediate rollback," he added.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee commenting on the hike said petrol is deregulated commodity

"That decision has been taken. Petrol is deregulated commodity," he said.

The UPA-II Government on Wednesday announced a hike in petrol prices by Rs.7.50 per litre. The hike will be effective from midnight tonight.

The hike in prices means that the price of petrol in Delhi will go up from Rs.65.64 per litre to Rs.73.14 per litre. In Mumbai, the price will go from Rs.70.66 per litre to Rs.78.16 per litre. In Kolkata, the price will go from Rs.70.03 per litre to Rs.77.53 per litre In Chennai, the price will go from Rs.69.55 per litre to Rs.77.05 per litre.

State-owned oil companies have decided to raise petrol price by Rs 6.28 per litre excluding local sales tax or VAT. The hike translates into Rs 7.50 per litre in Delhi and is the steepest ever.

Wednesday's decision to hike petrol prices comes a day after the end of the Budget Session of Parliament. (ANI)