‘Opposition making petrol price hike a political issue’ (Lead)
May 31st, 2012 - 7:33 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government Thursday slammed opposition parties for the nationwide shutdown over the recent petrol price hike and said they should instead work with the government to protect the common man from the challenges being faced by the Indian economy.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here that the opposition was making the petrol price hike a political issue.
“The opposition is making a political issue out of the petrol price hike… It should instead work with the government to protect the common man from the challenges being faced by the Indian economy and the price rise,” Soni said, reacting to a question on the call for shutdown by Bharatiya Janata Party, Left parties and some other parties.
Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury said the opposition-sponsored shutdown had caused a huge loss to the exchequer besides hardships to the common man.
She said the call for shutdown was “outdated in today’s time”.
“The very purpose of shutdown has been defeated. Common man including fruit sellers, flower sellers… they have suffered losses in sales. What about patients, auto-drivers? It would have been nicer if the opposition had made suggestions how to deal with the challenge (of hike in petrol prices),” Chowdhury told IANS.
Petrol prices were last week hiked by around Rs.7.50 per litre triggering protests from opposition parties.
Chowdhury said turbulence in the world economy had impacted country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth but added that constant recrimination by the opposition and media’s response to “half-baked nonsense” of Team Anna had not helped improve investor sentiment.
The GDP growth slumped to 6.5 percent for 2011-12 financial year, official data showed Thursday.
“There is turbulence in the world economy today. It is bound to impact us. Given the constraints, it (the economy) is still buoyant at 6.5 percent,” Chowdhury said.
The Congress spokesperson said the party was also concerned about price rise, and all steps would be taken to provide succour to people.
She denied claims by the opposition that response to shutdown was “spontaneous and overwhelming” and said closure of shops was not voluntary.
Chowdhury said people were fed up with violence and did not want to risk confrontation with “hoodlums”.
- Opposition playing politics over petrol price hike: Soni - May 31, 2012
- Protest against petrol prices leaves India hobbled (Roundup) - May 31, 2012
- Shutdown begins peacefully in Maharashtra - May 31, 2012
- Allies, opposition target government over petrol price rise - Sep 16, 2011
- Shutdown cripples Andhra Pradesh - May 31, 2012
- Maharashtra to challenge opposition shutdown in court - Jul 02, 2010
- Allies join opposition, slam sharp petrol price hike (Lead) - May 23, 2012
- Reduce petrol price hike burden, Congress tells government - May 24, 2012
- Concerned Congress wants common man's burden reduced - Sep 16, 2011
- Sheila Dikshit may consider reducing VAT on petrol - May 25, 2012
- Decision on petrol price rollback in a few days: Reddy (Lead) - May 25, 2012
- Petrol price hike to hit common man: Yechury - May 25, 2012
- Allies join opposition in condemning petrol price hike (Second Lead) - May 24, 2012
- Manmohan can't take decisions: BJP - May 31, 2012
- Protests across Maharashtra against petrol price hike - May 24, 2012
Tags: alliance government, ambika soni, auto drivers, common man, flower sellers, fruit sellers, gdp growth, gross domestic product, half baked, indian economy, investor sentiment, janata party, opposition parties, petrol prices, price hike, progressive alliance, recrimination, renuka chowdhury, s gross, turbulence in the world economy