Criticising the fresh hike in diesel prices by the Centre, the Shiromani Akali Dal alleged that the move would inflict a "hard blow" to the common man and demanded immediate roll back of the decision.
In a statement issued here today, the SAD president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "Union government is bent upon ruining the economy of the nation and retarding the growth of industry by increasing the price of diesel, just to help a few oil companies."
The diesel price will be hiked by 45 paise per litre from midnight today, the third increase in the rate of nation's most consumed fuel since January.
"With Rs 1 lakh crore in reserves, the oil companies have no right to rob the pocket of poor people," Sukhbir said.
He alleged that the companies at the instance of the UPA government were raising the price every fortnight.
The SAD leader claimed that the party had been demanding constitution of Joint Parliament Committee (JPC) to seriously look into the price fixation formula of oil products.
