Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa condemns diesel price hike

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today described as unjust the latest hike in diesel prices as she slammed the Centre with having failed to take steps to control skyrocketing prices and "scams in all departments."

This was the fourth time oil companies have effected hike since January and the measure aimed at mobilising revenue for government would severely affect the poor people, she said in a statement here.

"It is unjust for the oil companies to have hiked the prices despite decline in international crude rates," she said, adding, the price of petrol was however in line with international trends.

It was "unacceptable" that diesel prices were being hiked every month as a policy decision despite crude prices getting cheaper, she said while strongly condemning today's hike of more than Re one.

The move would result in increase in rail tariff besides those of private transport and freight charges which could further propel the prices of essential commodities upwards, she said.

This would lead to worsening inflation and price-rise and in the interest of the people, government should rollback today's hike and also take back the control of fixing diesel prices from oil companies, she demanded.

The government took no steps to control inflation and "scams in all departments," she said.