Rollback petrol prices by Rs 5: BJP

PANAJI: The BJP on Thursday demanded that the UPA government should slash petrol and diesel prices by at least Rs 5 immediately to control inflation.

"In last six months international crude oil prices have come down from $78 a barrel to $62. Also the dollar price itself vis-a-vis Rupee has gone down. The dollar value which was Rs 46 six month ago has come down to Rs 40," BJP spokesman Prakash Jawdekar told reporters here.

Jawdekar, who is in Goa to campaign for BJP for the June 2 assembly polls, said the Central government in a bid to give benefit to petroleum companies is taxing common man.

"Why is the reduction in international crude oil prices not reflected in petroleum prices in the country?" he questioned demanding that the Centre should immediately slash petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5.

The BJP leader said Congress has lost all the recent elections on inflation issue and will also face defeat in Goa over the same issue.

"An inflation is one such thing which hits everybody. Whether somebody is Hindu or Christian or Muslim, the most secular harassment for public is inflation. There is nothing religious about it," he said.

This inflation, Jawdekar alleged, was not natural but creation of Congress government.