By IANS,
Kolkata: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Saturday described as “legitimate” the concern expressed by the Trinamool Congress over the latest petrol price hike and hoped their grievances would be removed once the party leaders met the prime minister.
However, he backed the decision of the oil companies to raise the rates.
Describing the Trinamool, the second largest party in the Congress-led ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), as a valued partner, Mukherjee said he found “nothing wrong” in Banerjee’s party seeking to meet the prime minister over their grievances.
Asked about the Trinamool Congress threat to quit the coalition, he said at his residence here: “I have come to know the decisions of our valued partner Trinamool Congress. They are aggrieved. They will talk to the prime minister and I think their grievances will be removed.”
“It is quite legitimate for any political party which is the constituent unit of the UPA to express their concern on any issue and to discuss with the prime minister. They have done exactly that.”
“They have stated that after the PM comes back (from the G20 summit in Cannes) they will take up some of their concerns. I do not find anything wrong in it,” Mukherjee told mediapersons on the sidelines of a programme at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences.
However, the finance minister supported the hike by the oil companies saying if they are in the red they would not be in a position to import crude oil for the country.
While stressing that the government has taken note of the protests launched by various political parties, Mukherjee said they were not ready to listen to economic reasons.
“We have taken note of the protests launched by various political parties. They will react. They will not listen to economic reasons (on the petrol price hike).”
“But there are certain things which we have to keep in mind. This is the decision in the oil companies’ domain. Oil marketing companies have given adequate reasons why they had to do it because they import crude petroleum products for us.
“If the oil companies are in the red, will they be able to raise resources from the market? Would they be in a position to import crude oil,” he asked.