Badal criticizes Centre for hike in diesel prices

by Punjabnewswire4u (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, SEPT 13

            Slamming the Congress led UPA government for the steep hike in the price of Diesel; Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today lashed out at the Centre for this ‘unwarranted and steep’ increase and demanded an immediate and complete withdrawal of this hike.

In a statement here, Mr. Badal said that the recent hike of Rs 5 in price of diesel was absolutely ‘unrealistic and arbitrary’.  He said that it was unforgivable that on the one hand the Centre claimed an abnormally high rate of growth in the country's economy while on the other it was burdening the common man with such undesirable and unbearable rise in the prices of petroleum products contrary to its stand for showing concern for the ‘Aam Admi’.

The Chief Minister said that the hike of Rs.5 per litre in Diesel price would be a fatal blow to the agriculture sector as the farming was no longer a profitable venture due to the massive hike in agricultural inputs.  He said this hike would further enhance the cost of agriculture inputs making the life of beleaguered farmers miserable adding that the non-remunerative MSP coupled with high cost of agriculture inputs could further jeopardize the country’s food security.

Demanding an immediate roll back in prices Of Diesel, the Chief Minister allayed that the increase in the price of diesel would also result in hike in the transportation and freight charges thereby considerably impacting the consumer market by corresponding price rise of essential commodities and other materials thereby indicting the common man. He said that this anti people stance showed that the country's economic planners not only lacked economic vision but also were detached themselves from the fundamental essentials of sound economic planning for the country, as this hike in the prices of diesel would further aggravate the woes of both the farmers as well as the common man.

The Chief Minister ridiculed the Congress led UPA government for being hand in glove with the Oil Companies for recklessly recommending hike in its prices in the guise of heavy subsidy bill. It would have been much prudent if the centre had taken into confidence the states prior to recommending any hike in the prices of diesel as this recent hike would adversely impact farm sector in the country in general and especially in Punjab. Mr Badal also flayed the move of centre to restrict supply of domestic LPG cylinder just only to six in a year, which would not upset the kitchen budget meeting the housewives jittery over this irrational move.