Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore(MSP)

Bangalore, Jun 6: In tune with the decision taken at the apex level, Mangalore city unit of Bharatiya Janatha Party staged a protest in the city today, against the union government's decision to increase prices of petroleum products. The party workers who gathered in front  of the office of the district deputy commissioner(DC), later handed over a memorandum addressed to the prime minister, to the DC.

The local unit of the party has said in the memorandum, that the steep price hike of petroleum prices has come as a bolt from the blue for the citizens of the country who are already reeling under the rising prices of essential commodities. The poor and middle class of the country have been made to suffer heavily, with the enforcement of steep price hike at the rate of five rupees per litre of petrol, three rupees for diesel and Rs 50 per LPG cylinder.

It added, that the extent of concern the central government has about the welfare of the people is exposed by the fact that it has chosen to pass on the burden to the commoners instead of levying additional taxes on private sector oil refineries that are making huge profits. There is a strong case for downward revision of oil and LPG prices, it has argued.

The government should work honestly towards creating awareness among the citizens about undertaking energy saving  measures in view of the undue hike in international crude oil prices. The price rise now brought about will greatly harm the economic condition of the country and the living standards of people, the party analysed.

The memorandum, signed by the party's DK district unit president K Monappa Bhandary and Mangalore City South assembly constituency unit president M Sathish Prabhu, has asked the prime minister to review the price rise, mull over alternative methods to contain rising prices, toll back the hike and enable people of the country to lead a normal life.

Similar protests were held in the city by the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district CPI units.