Diesel hike: Jaya announces protest

Hitting out at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Tamil Nadu chief minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa on Saturday announced a statewide protest by her party over several issues including diesel price and railway fare hike, reports said.

Led by the AIADMK´s labour wing, the protest will be held outside the central government offices on Jan 24.

State-run oil firms have hiked diesel price by 45 paise per litre that were effective from Friday, prompting the political parties both within and outside the ruling coalition umbrella to slam the UPA regime.

Giving minor relief to consumers, the petrol price was on the other hand decreased by 25 paise per litre that also came into effect from Friday.

Pertinently, petrol prices were hiked by 35 paise a litre from Wednesday.

The announcement was made by the companies after the government, which otherwise controls the subsidized retail price of diesel, on Thursday allowed the retailers to raise the price in small amount every month or time to time, thereby deregulating the prices partially.

Political parties, including UPA government´s key alliance partners, criticised the government over the diesel price rise issue.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which is a key ally of the Congress party at the Centre and the second largest constituent of the ruling UPA coalition, slammed the government over the matter and urged it to ´reconsider´ its decision to allow the retailers to raise diesel price in small amount.