Chennai, Aug 1: Slamming the latest hike in prices of petrol and diesel, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa yesterday expressed regret that the Centre was concerned more about the welfare of oil companies rather than people's lives.
From hiking fuel prices twice a year, the Centre was doing the same twice a month now which was a betrayal of the people who had voted for the Congress-led UPA government, she said in a statement here.
The Oil marketing companies had increased prices of petrol and diesel by 70 paise and 50 paise, respectively.
The move will affect a wide range of users including farmers, small traders and motorists, and there will be a cascading effect on prices of essential commodities, she said.
“It is very much regrettable that the central government is (more) concerned about the welfare of oil companies rather than people's lives,” she said.
She reiterated her opposition to the price fixation mechanism for petroleum products based on trade parity price.
Jayalalithaa said the Centre should stop forthwith such frequent revision of fuel prices in the backdrop of increase in prices of essential commodities and called for withdrawal of authority given to OMCs to fix rates.
If the Centre remained “deaf” to the people's concerns, they will teach a “right lesson” to the UPA in the near future, she said in an apparent reference to next year's Lok Sabha polls.
