Chennai: DMK, a key partner of ruling
UPA, on Sunday criticised the hike in fuel prices, saying it would
badly hit the middle class and poor and urged the Centre to
make efforts to permanently solve the issue.
"Whenever this issue arises, the Centre tries to
justify the fuel price hike," DMK president M Karunanidhi said
in his first reaction to the increase in prices of diesel,
kerosene and cooking gas, which has been condemned by various
political parties.
The Centre should not rest by merely defending the
hike "on some excuse" every time the issue arises, but treat
it as its utmost duty to completely solve it as the hike
affects the public, especially middle class and people living
below poverty line, he said in a statement.
Karunanidhi also asked the Tamil Nadu government to
reduce sales tax on fuel prices emulating West Bengal
government and also as done by his government in the past.
When DMK was in power, sales tax on petroleum products
was reduced twice and subsidy for LPG was also provided.
"West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's
announcement reducing LPG price by Rs 16 could be a guiding
force for other governments also. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu
Government should also reduce sales tax on petroleum
products," he said.
The Centre on Friday increased diesel price by Rs
3 per litre, domestic LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder and
kerosene by Rs 2 per litre.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, June 26, 2011, 15:39