"The hike in diesel price would have a cascading effect on prices of essential commodities which were already beyond the reach of the common people. This hike would adversely effect the transport sector as well as already suffering debt ridden peasantry," a Shiromani Akali Dal spokesman said.
"It is surprising that when international prices of crude oil decrease, the benefits are never passed on to the consumers but whenever there is even a marginal increase in price of crude oil, the common man is burdened without any delay," he said.
The government yesterday hiked diesel prices by Rs 5.62 per litre and restricted the supply of subsidised cooking gas to six cylinders per household a year.
