Badal lashes out at Centre for hike in petrol, diesel prices

Chandigarh, Feb 16 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today described as ''back breaking and totally unwarranted'' the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.

Lashing out at the Centre for the hike, Mr Badal in a statement said it was not only intriguing but also 'unforgivable' that on the one hand the Centre claimed an abnormally high rate of growth in the country's economy while on the other it was burdening the common man with such 'unthinkable' and 'unbearable' rise in the prices of petroleum products and diesel.

He said this step showed that the country's economic planners not only lacked economic vision but also were divorced from the fundamental essentials of sound economic planning.

''The recent hike in the prices of petrol and diesel would further aggravate the woes of both the farmers as well as the common man'', rued Mr Badal.

The Chief Minister demanded an immediate and total withdrawal of the hike.

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