Social Democratic Party of India

New Delhi: The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has vehemently opposed the savage hike on petroleum products and demanded its immediate rollback to give the common man much needed relief who is already reeling under spiraling prices of food and essential commodities.

SDPI national general secretary A. Sayeed in a statement said the steep rise in the prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas is a cruel blow on the people, especially the middle class, already burdened with inflation. He said by increasing the prices of diesel and kerosene, the farmers and the poorer sections are going to be badly hit. He said by deregulating petrol prices, the government has opened the way for continuous increases in the prices of petrol. He demanded scrapping of the price increase forthwith.

Sayeed pointed out that prices of petrol and diesel were increased by Rs.3 per litre only three months ago in the Union budget. International oil prices have not risen substantially in this period. As such the Union Government has no moral right to inflate people’s fuel bill so soon again.

He said the decision of the Central Government has come at a time when food inflation is around 17 percent and the general inflation rate has reached double digits. India has the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of consumer price inflation in the world, he noted.