Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, Jun 25: The diesel price hike by Rs 3 per litre by UPA2 has irked not only the opposition, but even the UPA allies who have raised their concern and criticised the Centre.

First to comment on the diesel hike was Didi Mamata Banerjee, former railway minister and now chief minister of West Bengal. She said that there was no need of hiking the price so soon, and the government must have a re-think. Trinamool Congress opposes the move, and is against it, she said.

The main opposition BJP has got another powerful weapon with which to attack the government. Soon after Jaipal Reddy's press conference at New Delhi, Nirmala Sitaram., spokesperson slammed the centre, and said this goverment was not for the common people. The government is regularly increasing petrol and diesel prices and putting the common in a fix, she said, while urging the government to withdraw the hike or face protest from the opposition.

The government however tried to soften the blow by slashing customs duty on crude oil and petroleum products and excise duty on diesel.

"Political problems will always be there, but economic problems do not wait for the solution of political issues," said Petroleum Minister Jaipal Reddy.