The petrol prices have been raised six times this year to around Rs 73 per litre.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister and ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati has decried the power vested with oil marketing companies (OMCs) to determine petrol prices.
She asserted the successive petrol price hikes are causing inflation in the country.
The petrol prices have been hiked six times this year to around Rs 73 per litre. Yesterday, the OMCs raised petrol price by Rs 1.80 to Rs 1.91 per litre citing mounting losses as the reason.
Terming the hike as ‘anti-people’ and a crude joke to them, Mayawati has demanded its immediate rollback.
She said under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, there have been 14 petrol price hikes, which clearly reflect its apathy towards the people.
She lamented the common man was facing hardships due to current high inflation caused by intermittent increase in fuel prices, including petrol, diesel, kerosene.
Congress’ policies have always been pro-capitalists and anti-people, and it seems the OMCs are brazenly increasing fuel prices at its instance, the chief minister alleged.
Mayawati further said another round of spike in prices of diesel, liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene looked imminent, which would further heat up the prices of essential commodities with commensurate increase in transportation costs.
The state government had already lowered VAT on diesel from 21 per cent to 17.23 per cent, while VAT on domestic liquefied petroleum gas was fully waived off in 2008.
