Congress opposes fuel price hike

The Congress on Friday opposed any hike in the prices of petroleum products even as the UPA Government continued to explore the option of marginally increasing the prices in a scenario where international crude oil prices were touching $96 per barrel. “There should be no burden of oil prices on common man. The Government should sustain (existing prices) it for as long as it can. As far as the party is concerned, we are of the view that everything should be done to protect the common man from price rise,” Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad said. The statement came shortly after Petroleum Minister Murli Deora’s meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Ahmad refuted suggestions that the Congress’ stance on petroleum prices was guided by electoral consideration. “It is a big country where elections keep on happening,” he said.