Centre slashes petrol price under judicial pressure

Jagdishpur (Amethi), Nov 16: Dismissing Congress" claim that it had asked the government to do everything possible to slash petrol prices, BJP today (BJP 16) said the Centre took the step under judicial pressure.

“The Kerala High Court has directed the oil companies to submit their three months balance sheet on how much loss they have incurred…the Centre"s decision to slash petrol prices has been taken under this pressure," BJP national vice- president Kalraj Mishra told reporters here.

Congress yesterday took credit for the slash in petrol prices, asserting that it had asked the government to do everything possible to bring it down.

“The party has repeatedly said government should take all efforts to check the rise in oil prices as well as inflation.

It"s a good decision and has given relief to common man," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had said.

Mishra said BJP has been firm on its stand that there was no loss to the oil companies and instead they were making profits.

“The Congress government had been saying oil companies were suffering losses then how come they earned so much profit to slash prices?" he questioned.

On Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati"s decision to divide the state into four parts, the BJP leader said it is a political stunt done with an eye on Assembly polls, due early next year.

Mishra alleged the BSP chief is afraid of loosing power and, therefore, indulging into such “gimmickry".

PTI