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The recent hike of fuel prices came by the oil marketing companies came in for sharp criticism from the political parties in Tamil Nadu, with DMK slamming the Centre for adopting “unequal approach” while ally PMK criticised the Centre for following “anti-people” policies.
“The latest hike in petrol and diesel prices is harsh,” DMK President M Karunanidhi said. He said the government took the benefit when global crude prices went down and passed on the burden when they soared.
“Adopting such an unequal approach is condemnable. Such frequent revision of fuel prices impact the lives of the poorer sections,” he said in a statement. Considering this, the Centre should rollback the deregulation of oil prices and take upon itself the duty of fixing fuel prices, he said.
PMK youth wing leader and Dharmapuri MP Anbumani Ramadoss slammed the oil companies for the latest revision of fuel prices and said it was “condemnable”.
“Central government is following anti-people policies. When international crude prices fall, the benefit is not passed on to the common man. Government could have ensured the prices did not go up by lowering the excise duty. But it is concerned only about its revenue and has passed on the burden to the people,” he said.
Ramadoss alleged that fuel prices were being fixed to favour private oil companies and said the people who were already suffering from inflation would be further burdened by the hike. He also called for the end of deregulation and had demanded an immediate withdrawal of the fuel price increase.
MDMK leader Vaiko and CPI state secretary R Mutharasan also demanded for rollback of the hike. After two rounds of cuts, petrol prices were increased by Rs 3.96 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.37 a litre yesterday, tracking global cues.
