Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, Jun 25: Political leaders across party lines on Saturday June 25 expressed their anger and disappointment over the hike in fuel prices which came into effect from Friday June 24.

The oppostion BJP and the Left parties staged protests in different parts of the country demanding a rollback.

Noting that it was the 10th hike ever since the UPA came to power, leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj said that the government is being totally insensitive to the sufferings of farmers and the poor.

Opposition leader in Delhi V K Malhotra said that the government is being merciless on the poor by hiking the fuel prices.

The BJP activists chanted slogans against the government and urged people to join their protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday.

Meanwhile, terming the hike as a 'cruel blow' on the 'aam aadmi' the Left parties, chiefly the CPI (M) and the CPI said that the hike will have a domino effect leading to further inflation. It is the common man and the farmers who will be the most affected, they said.

Accusing the government of not caring for the poor and bowing down to market pressure and corporates, the CPI said that the government must take immediate steps to revoke the hike.

The Left parties have directed their units across the country to hold strikes, demonstrations and protests against against hike.

On Friday June 24 the government the hike in the price of diesel by Rs 3 per litre, kerosene by Rs 2 per litre and LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder, excluding state levies such as VAT.