Chennai, Jun 13 (IANS): AIADMK coordinator and former Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O. Panneerselvam has demanded reduction in prices of petrol and diesel in the Tamil Nadu.

He has asked Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to reduce petrol price by Rs 5 per litre and diesel price by Rs 4 per litre in the state. He said that the DMK had promised in its election manifesto that they would reduce the fuel prices once elected to power.

In a statement on Saturday, the AIADMK leader said that the chief minister and the central government should make efforts to cut the excise duties and bring the petroleum products under GST. The former deputy chief minister said that since the DMK government assumed office on May 7, the petrol prices have gone up from Rs 93.17 per litre to Rs 97.43 per litre and diesel price from Rs 86.65 per litre to Rs 91.64 per litre.

He also called upon the chief minister to refrain from opening TASMAC outlets in 27 districts of the state on June 14 citing the reduced Covid fresh cases in these districts. In a separate statement, the AIADMK leader said that human lives are more precious than the revenue of the state. He reminded the chief minister of the black flag demonstration conducted by the DMK cadres during the regime of the previous AIADMK government against opening of liquor shops in Chennai city police limits.