Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today slammed the Congress led UPA government at Centre over what he described as “a crushing and totally unjustified hike of Rs 7.50P per liter in the price of petrol”. In a statement here, Badal said that the hike would unleash fresh inflationary trends, further jack up prices of all essential commodities and break the back of the common back. Badal demanded immediate withdrawal of the unbearable hike, seventh time in quick succession during one-and-a-half year. The hike, he said, would retard the pace of economic growth which is already in rough weather. Badal said that the petrol price in India was already amongst the highest in the world despite alarming poverty amongst the masses. Badal lamented that inflation had already touched double digit and was beyond the control of UPA government despite its tall claims to check it but in reality it had failed miserably to tackle the whopping price hike. The Chief Minister pointed out that the price of petrol had been hiked by Rs.7.50P liter at a time when the country was reeling under food inflation which had remained untamed during its entire regime of UPA-1 and even remained unabated in UPA-2 till today. He said that the hefty hike in the prices of Petrol has exposed the anti poor face of the Congress party which claims to be the votary of common man (Aam Adami).
Badal emphasized the need to evolve a transparent system to decide the prices of petroleum products in consultation with all the political parties rather playing into the hands of oil companies.