No roll-back in fuel price hike, says Pranab

The government on Sunday ruled out rolling back increase in fuel prices, even as the Opposition National Democratic Alliance called for an all-India bandh on Monday to protest the price hike and rising inflation.

"No question of roll-back," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of an Assocham function in Kolkata, when asked whether the government could review its June 25 decision of raising prices of petroleum products.

Meanwhile, NDA working chairperson L K Advani after a meeting of its leaders, said, "This may be the first time in the history of India's politics that almost all political parties will participate in the Bharat Bandh."

The government last month raised prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene by Rs 3.50, Rs 2 and Rs 3 a litre, respectively and increased the rate of cooking gas by Rs 35 a cylinder. The decision was taken by the empowered group of ministers headed by Mukherjee.