Bring down the prices of petroleum products : BJP

New Delhi, Oct 16 (UNI) Accusing the Government of failing the country on the economic front, the BJP today asked the Centre to bring down the prices of petrol and diesel in view of the fall in the international markets to 73 dollars a barrel from 147 dollars when the current prices were fixed.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said the prices in the international market were more than half of the cost of crude and it is only fair that the benefits should be passed to the consumers.

The Petroleum Minister, however, was showing no signs of reducing the prices and it was time for the government to act decisively in favour of the consumers to check the inflation and the price rise, he said.

Accusing the Government and Finance Minister P Chidambaram of failing the country through 'false pretensions and panic reactions' to the global meltdown, he said the slowdown had proved that the ruling coalition had not even read the writing on the wall.

The FM and other leaders in the Government were claiming that the global melt soon will leave Indian economy economy untouched while it was not the case in reality.

Mr Javadekar said the last six months had shown that the goverment had raised the CRR from 4.5 per cent to nine per cent to tame the inflation which could not be kept under check without addressing the supply side of the economy.

The Participatory Note which allows anonymity to investors was shut down following the apprehensions expressed by the National Security Advisor that terror money may be pumped into stocks and real estate markets by the FIIs.

Now the Government had kept the PN-route open allowing the FIIs to use this route to bring in the money. Does this solve the national security concerns? he asked.

He said the inflation was still hovering in the double digits which was too high for India's economy to bear.

Mr Javadekar said price rise, soaring inflation, bad handling of the economy by the Government will be the issues to be raised in Parliament starting tomorrow.

The farmers have been promised loan waiver but majority of the farmers feel cheated, he said.

Besides, increasing terrorism, violence against Navratra pooja procession attacks will also be raised during the session.

Asked if the BJP would discuss the attacks on Christian community in Orissa and Karnataka, he said the party had never condoned violence against anybody.

It was time for the Congress to apologise to the people for the actions of some of its leaders casting doubts about the genuineness of the Jamia Milia encounter.

The Delhi Police have filed an affidavit before the Delhi High Court detailing the blow by blow account of the happenings. Union Ministers like Kapil Sibal who had done everything to muddy the encounter, he said.

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