Chennai, Aug 23 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Finance Minister, P.T.R. Thiagarajan has said that the previous AIADMK government had raised petrol prices by five times during its one decade rule from 2011 to 2021. He was responding to a question of AIADMK legislator, K.P. Munuswamy in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday.

The Finance Minister said that while the previous government had raised the petrol prices five times, it did not have the courage to reduce it even once.

His remarks against the AIADMK government were strongly objected to, by the leader of opposition, K. Palaniswami. The state Finance Minister stated in the assembly that he was not aiming at any particular individual but was raising his question against the AIADMK as a political party.

Thiagarajan also said that the AIADMK legislators were trying to disrupt his speech in the House and that the opposition party was trying to divert the issue when cornered.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin intervened and requested the Speaker to expunge certain remarks made by Finance Minister. Thiagarajan requested that some remarks made by the Opposition leader against him should also be removed from the records.

After the Tamil Nadu government under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reduced the price of petrol by Rs 3 per litre, it was welcomed across the state. The Finance Minister had then said that the government's move was aimed at two wheeler riders and small car users and that the consumption of petrol has increased after the government reduced its price by Rs 3 per litre.