BJP to intensify stir against petro hike: Shetty

Mumbai, Jun 5 (UNI) City BJP president Gopal Shetty today condemned the hike in fuel prices and said his party will intensify its agitation further by holding 'maha-aaratis' and 'ghantanaads' across the city.

Speaking during a 'morcha' organised by the party from its office at Nariman Point to the office of Hindustan Petroleum at Churchgate, he said ''The steep rise in prices of LPG cylinder, petrol and diesel, announced by the government yesterday, is unbearable for the masses.'' If it is not withdrawn immediately, the BJP will not allow any Ministers to travel in the city, he warned.

Among other leaders who participated in the morcha were senior BJP leader and former petroleum minister Ram Naik, state BJP vice-president Bhai Girkar, state general secretary and MLC Madhu Chavan and MLA Prakash Mehta, besides other party MLAs, corporators, office-bearers and hundreds of party workers, who were arrested after the morcha.

The wrong economic policy pursued by the Congress-led government had led to severe price rise and the inflation would soon touch 10 per cent, alleged Mr Shetty.

He demanded that the Maharashtra government reduce the Sales Tax on petroleum products that will reduce the prices of petrol and diesel.

Condemning a statement of Petroleum Minister Murli Deora that BJP workers were just giving slogans, the city president said ''If he does not withdraw his statement, then the BJP workers will 'gherao' the Minister''.

Mr Naik said the Congress-led government did not have any concrete policy and its failure to monitor the international events in last two years had led to such a huge price rise. The people will never forgive this rudderless and inefficient government, he added.

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