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The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday announced country wide protest programme for two days beginning Wednesday against the hike in the prices of petroleum products.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M), which is providing crucial outside support to the UPA government, on Tuesday demanded roll back of hike in prices of petrol and diesel and warned of large-scale nationwide protests to oppose the latest increase.
Petrol prices hiked by Rs 3 a litre
"We demand a total rollback of the fresh hike in the price of petrol and diesel as it will increase the burden on the common man," Basudev Acharya, the leader of CPI(M)'s
parliamentary party in Lok Sabha, said.
The BJP said: "Effective and strong protests would be organised in all state capitals and district headquarters against the anti-people and anti-farmer policies of the Congress-led government which came to power in the name of the aam aadmi (common man) who has been betrayed within a short span," BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
"When there is rise in international prices of petroleum products, we expect the government to reduce its share of profit and revenue earnings. Paradoxically, a government which got elected on the slogan of common man has put substantial part of the burden on the common man," BJP general secretary and spokesman Arun Jaitley said.
The hike will hit the common man hard, particularly the farmers who are dependant on diesel, he said. The party will announce a countrywide programme against the hike in a day or two, Jaitley said.
All state units have been instructed to organise demonstrations, rallies, sit-ins to protest against the 'fifth hike' in 14 months," he said, adding senior leaders will lead the protests across the country.
The CPI(M) said: "The people of the country will protest the rise in the prices of petroleum products afresh. There will be large-scale protests against the hike," he said.
Acharya said the demand for rollback of the latest price rise of petroleum products would be one of the issues of the nationwide general strike called by the Left trade unions on September 29, which is being backed by Left parties.
"We are opposing any increase in prices of petroleum products. We have already given alternative suggestions to the so that the government can neutralise the effect of increase in the prices of crude in the international market. Thereby, the problems of oil marketing companies, which are incurring losses, can be taken care of," Acharya said.