Bhubaneswar, September 7, 2018: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday lashed out at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the State over its three-day State-wide agitation over fuel price hike, saying the party is suffering from mental bankruptcy.
“Now, Odisha is getting revenue of over Rs 7,000 crore as against Rs 3,000 in 2014 by the way of tax from petrol and diesel. If it has a little bit concern for the people of the State, it should slash the tax at the earliest,” said Pradhan asked by media persons to comment on BJD’s stir.
Maintaining that fuel price rise is mainly due to depreciation of Indian rupee against US dollar, he asked the Naveen Patnaik Government
to not shed crocodile tears over the issue.
A litre of petrol is being sold for around Rs 78 while diesel is being sold for Rs 76.54 in Bhubaneswar.
It may be noted that the BJD has been picketing at petrol pumps for two hours daily from Friday against the skyrocketing of fuel prices. On Friday, the party too strongly protested the price rise of petrol and diesel in the State Assembly.
After the House adjourned, BJD MLAs, including Ministers marched towards the petrol pump near Ram Mandir. Holding posters and banners, they staged demonstration against steep rise of price of diesel and petrol as part of the agitation which the regional party had announced earlier.
Party workers distributed leaflets among the people to sensitise them on the issue. As part of the agitation, the BJD activists will stage peaceful demonstrations in front of petrol pumps in the State from 10 am to 12 noon for three days.
