"BJP condemns the dual price mechanism for diesel implemented by Congress-led UPA government which has put an unprecedented burden on the common man. This is a price hike in disguise," party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
The opposition party maintained that under the new deregulation policy, the government has created two categories of customers, the bulk users and customers of retail outlets.
"While the customers on retail outlets will be paying Rs 50 to Rs 54 per litre, the bulk users have been forced to pay Rs 62 to Rs 65 per litre," Javadekar told reporters here.
He said that this will impact the bulk users adversely. Citing statistics, the BJP leader said state transport services will have to shell out Rs 3000 crore more because of this decision.
"Likewise, the Railways will have to bear the brunt to the extent of Rs 3,000 crore as well. The public utilities like city bus services and other public utilities will also have to pay Rs 3,000 crore more. The private industries and other business establishments will be paying Rs 6,000 crore more annually," Javadekar said.
The party said "in one stroke", the government has imposed a burden of about Rs 18,000 crore through the new category. The common man will have to bear its impact along with the monthly hike in diesel prices, he said.
"The overall burden of the government's deregulation of diesel will be in the region of about Rs 60,000 crore. Even the fishermen have been declared as bulk users. With the new rules of dispensing of diesel to the consumers, even the farmers will be forced to pay the price of bulk diesel," Javadekar said.