Traders, truck drivers' association and political parties in Jharkhand on Thursday opposed the hike in petrol and diesel prices which was approved two days ago by the state cabinet.
The state government's decision on Tuesday to increase petrol and diesel prices by 11 percent has invited a sharp reaction from the Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association, Jharkhand Truck Association and political parties.
After the application of new taxes, petrol will get costlier by Rs.4.54 per litre and diesel will get costlier by Rs.4.21 per litre. At present the price of petrol is Rs.60.26 per litre and that of diesel is Rs.47.41 per litre.
"We will go to New Delhi to meet the prime minister to take up the issue... We will meet ministers in New Delhi... and if the issue is still not resolved, we will hand over the keys of petrol pumps resulting in all 1,000 petrol pumps in the state automatically shutting down," Ashok Singh, president of Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association, told reporters here on Thursday.
Echoing the sentiment, Uday Shankar Ojha, president of the Jharkhand Truck Association, said: "First we will present our demands to the chief minister. And if the issue is not resolved, we will not allow trucks to ply."
Petroleum dealers said they feared that trucks would get their fill from neighbouring states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and political parties have also opposed the state government's move.
The Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Wednesday burnt effigies of the chief minister, demanding a rollback of the new rates.
