Reduction in oil prices shows BJP-run govts' commitment to people's welfare

BJP president Amit Shah said Thursday the decisions by the Centre and his party-ruled states to reduce petrol and diesel prices by a total of Rs 5 a litre show their sensitivity and commitment towards people's welfare.

The Bharatiya Janata Party chief said in a statement that "popular" Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a "pro-people" decision by effecting a cut of Rs 2.50 in oil prices and state governments run by his party followed suit to provide people an effective relief of Rs 5.

"This shows the sensitivity of BJP-ruled states and the Modi-led government to the people's welfare and commitment to work for them," he said.

"BJP-ruled states are with the prime minister in this initiative and are always eager to provide any possible relief to the common man," he added.

Shah cited a host of other central government's decisions, including hike in minimum support prices of Rabi and Kharif crops and a scheme to provide health insurance to the poor, to assert that it has taken one step after another in the interests of people.

It shows that the villages, poor and farmers at the centre of the Modi government's every decision, he said.

"For the first time in independent India, the poor is having hope and confidence that the country has a prime minister who is thinking about their development," he said.

At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also took a swipe at the previous Congress-led government at the Centre, saying it had "pawned" national resources by issuing oil bonds while the Modi government showed its sensitivity by reducing the prices.

The government has also expressed confidence it will fulfil its fiscal deficit targets, Patra noted.

The government Thursday announced a Rs 2.50 per litre cut in petrol and diesel prices after it reduced excise duty by Rs 1.50 a litre and asked oil companies to absorb another Re 1.