BJP terms petrol price hike as "atrocious", warns of stir

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar warned of protest if the government failed to roll back the "totally unjustified" hike and its nature will be decided at the national executive meeting beginning here tomorrow.

The petrol price issue was deliberated at the meeting of the party office bearers ahead of the executive and the economic resolution at the meeting is expected to take the government to task for "punishing the people".

"If the Rupee is depreciated, it is not the fault of the people. It is due to wrong economic policies followed by UPA government. It is the punishment to the people for wrongdoings of UPA," he said.

BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad dubbed the hike as "unreasonable" which will make the life of the common man "miserable".

"This whole petrol price hike is clearly unreasonable, arbitrary and is condemned as it will put further inflationary pressure and lead to further rise in prices. Life of the common man will become more difficult and miserable," Prasad said.

He alleged the government's inept handling of the economic situation was responsible for this. "The gross mismanagement of food and general economy by the UPA regime has led to the decline of the Rupee," he said, adding it has also led to rise in prices of petroleum products.