Bhubaneswar: Amid the ongoing protests across the country over the increase in LPG cylinder price, CPI (Marxist) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury today said that the price hike is completely unwarranted as international oil prices are not increasing.
“This is all because of the crisis created in the balance sheets of our oil companies by the Modi government which started borrowing from them in the name of higher dividends,” Yechury alleged.
Congress also targeted the Union government on the LPG cylinder price hike and said that the price rise is a big blow to the people of the country who are already suffering due to the economic slowdown.
"We are not going to sit silent over the issue. The price hike is unbearable and we will continue to protest till the hike is withdrawn," said Congress spokesperson, Alka Lamba.
However, BJP said that the prices of LPG cylinders were hiked but at the same time the government has almost doubled the subsidy for domestic users from Rs 153.86 per cylinder to Rs 291.48.
"The allegation of the Opposition is baseless. Subsidy for the cylinders has also been increased along with the hike. Now, household consumers have to pay an extra of only around Rs 5, which is not a big amount," said Odisha BJP spokesperson, Golak Mohapatra.
The LPG cylinder price was hiked by Rs 149 per cylinder on Wednesday. The hike is termed as the one of the steepest in over five years.
A Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana beneficiary, Kalpana Jena said, “The government didn’t help us by providing LPG stove and cylinder, rather it was part of their business. Where from we will get money to refill the cylinder?”