By IANS,
Chandigarh: The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab Sunday accused the Congress-led United Progressice Alliance (UPA) government at the centre of indulging in vote-bank politics on the petrol price hike.
Seeking an immediate roll back of th highest ever petrol price hike announced Saturday, the Akali Dal demanded a transparent formula for fixation of petrol price.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal slammed the UPA government for the “totally unjustified and unbearable hike of Rs.5 per litre in the price of petrol”.
In a statement here, Badal said that the centre’s decision will not only break the back of the common man but also lead to inflation.
Akali Dal president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that while the international price of crude had fallen to $98 during last 10 days, the Rs.5 per litre hike was unjustified.
“The union government has no justification in crushing the people by the highest ever petrol price hike. During last 11 months, crude has risen only 4 percent ($90 to $98) and the UPA government has affected a 27 percent rise in petrol price from Rs.51 to Rs.65 per litre,” Badal pointed out.
He accused the union government for deliberately delaying the price hike by state-run oil companies in the last four months in view of assembly elections.
“After fooling the electorate in the elections, the Congress-led UPA government has shown its real face on the day of counting itself. They are making the common people pay for their vote bank politics,” he said.