A midnight massacre: BJP

BJP sought to drive a wedge between Congress and its allies by asking the latter to withdraw support.

NEW DELHI: Slamming the government over the petrol price hike,the BJP on Friday sought to drive a wedge between the Congress and its allies by asking the latter to withdraw support saying that they would otherwise become party to the sins of the Manmohan Singh regime.

Charging that the price increase was completely insensitive,senior BJP leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha went to the extent of saying that people should revolt against the hike by not paying taxes. The weekly food inflation figures were released yesterday. And then as if the government was waiting for this cue,it increased petrol prices from midnight8230;.I want to say that this was a midnight massacre, Sinha said while addressing a press conference. The time has come when the people will overthrow this corrupt and arrogant government8230; I am asking the people of India to revolt against it and show it the door, he added.

Withdraw price hike: Badal

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday slammed the UPA over the hike in petrol prices and demanded an immediate roll back. The hike would unleash fresh inflationary trends,further jack up prices of all essential commodities and break the back of the common man, he said in a statement here. Badal demanded immediate withdrawal of the unbearable hike which,he said,would retard the pace of economic growth.

Aam aurat suffering: Modi

AHMEDABAD: Taking a dig at the Congress for being least bothered about inflation,Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the aam aurat common woman is suffering due to it. Modis criticism comes in the wake of the food inflation shooting up to 12.21 per cent,with expensive vegetables,pulses,fruits and milk putting more burden on the common man,and Thursdays rise in petroleum prices by Rs 1.82.

Left parties call for nationwide protests

NEW DELHI: Lashing out at the UPA government for hiking petrol prices,the Left parties on Friday asked all their state units to launch nationwide protests saying the move was a major factor responsible for fuelling prices of essential commodities. Governments deregulation of petrol pricing is responsible for fuelling hike of essential commodities and inflation, the CPM Politburo said in a statement. The hoax of the pricing according to the market has been exposed as international oil prices have fallen considerably in the recent period, it said.