Shimla: Social activist Swami Agnivesh on Sunday
described the hike in diesel, kerosene and LPG prices as
"irrational" and said "corruption", which is mother of
inflation, fuelled the cost.
He also accused the Centre of levying high excise duty of
50 per cent on petroleum products and asked the government to
roll back the prices by reducing the duty.
"Fight against corruption will continue and the movement
would be totally non-political and non-violent and the civil
society leaders would not be cowed down by the mean tactics of
the government," he said told reporters here.
On the land provided by the Himachal Pradesh government
to Patanjali Yogpeeth of Ramdev and his other "commercial
activities," Agnivesh said the enforcement Directorate and
Income Tax department was making enquiries and he had no
knowledge about this.
He also sought enactment of a law, making it mandatory
for all political parties and politicians to make their assets
public. He also demanded audit of political parties by the
CAG.
On differences between the government and the civil
society members on Lokpal Bill, Agnivesh said the drafting
committee of the government had only Congress ministers in it
and claimed UPA allies were not taken into confidence.
Political parties like CPM and CPI were in favour of
bringing the Prime Minister in the purview of Lokpal, he said.
He hoped parties like BJP, AIADMK, Trinmool Congress and
TDP would be taken into confidence by the civil society team
to seek their support for the bill.
PTI
