A united opposition, the like of unity never seen in the last few decades, on Friday staged a noisy walkout as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced hike in duties on petrol, diesel and other petro products.
Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, NDA convenor Sharad Yadav, Rjd chief Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta, joined their hands aloft and shouted slogans against the government inside the Parliament premises.
Opposition leaders flayed the budget as anti-people and anti-farmer. Sushma Swaraj said, the government had yesterday told Parliament during debate on price rise that the worst was over, but the very next day the Finance Minister was announcing hike in pero prices which was not acceptable.
RJD leader Lalu Prasad shouted slogan “Jo Sarkar Nikammi Hai, Who Sarkar Badalni Hai' and said that he would launch a nationwide agitation against petro price hike. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Gurudas Dasgupta also spoke in similar tones.
The proposed changes in duties related to petroleum products in the Budget saw the entire Opposition staging a walkout from the Lok Sabha and warning that they will not allow Parliament to run till a rollback is announced.
"This is a move that would lead to rise in prices of diesel and petrol and hit the common man already burdened by price rise," Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said immediately after the walkout.
The issue united the entire Opposition with Swaraj as also Left leaders like Gurudas Dasgupta, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD President Lalu Prasad addressing an impromptu joint press conference outside Parliament House.
"The entire opposition is together," Prasad thundered attacking the government and accusing it of acting in a "dictatorial manner" against the interests of the common people. He said Parliament would not be allowed to function till a rollback is effected.
"We have boycotted the budget. Soon after a discussion on price rise, the government has increased the prices of petroleum products. This is anti-people," Swaraj said.
She said any increase in prices of petroleum product will be an "indirect tax" and have a cascading effect on the prices of all commodities.
NDA convenor and JD-U President Sharad Yadav launched a frontal attack against the government questioning the very sanctity of the debate on price rise as the government has effectively increased the prices of petroleum products.
"This is not a budget for the common people. This will only lead to more trouble for them as they are reeling under price rise," Yadav said.
Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) joined hands with the entire opposition in slamming the budget, terming it "anti-people". He said the budget proposals will lead to street protests.
RJD, an ally of the UPA in its last term, accused the Congress of adopting a dictatorial approach.
"When the entire country is suffering on account of price rise, they have increased the prices of petroleum products, fertilisers and cement. We appeal to the people to come out and join a movement against the government," RJD chief Prasad said.
He said the country has seen both 'Dada' (Pranab Mukherjee) and 'Didi' (Mamta Banerjee) and both were concerned only about West Bengal.
SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav said the Finance Minister yesterday assured Parliament that prices would come down and now the government is increasing the prices.
"This matter is above party politics. The farmers and workers of the country are suffering," he said.
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