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BJD rally against fuel price hike

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

Burning issue: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik greeting his senior party members and ministers at the demonstration before State secretariat called by Biju Janata Dal against fuel price hike in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. —

BHUBANESWAR: A rally organised by the Biju Janata Dal to oppose rise in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders here on Thursday virtually turned into an election campaign meeting with top leaders of the party blaming the UPA Government at the Centre for a series of problems facing the State.

Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik and several of his senior colleagues severely criticised the Congress-led government for not extending the required support to the State in various fields.

While condemning the hike in the prices of petroleum products, the BJD leaders also criticised the UPA Government for not being able to contain inflation and rise in the prices of numerous essential commodities.

Mr. Patnaik came down heavily on the UPA Government for not addressing the concerns raised by the State Government with regard to royalty on coal and iron ore.

As a result, the State was not getting enough revenue to improve its financial position, he said.

Observing that recent hike in the prices of petroleum products would hit the poor hard, Mr. Patnaik said the State Government had ordered a two per cent cut on sales tax on petrol and diesel to help the people cope with the steep hike in the prices of these products.

The rally, which marked the end of the party’s five-day protest against hike in fuel prices, was attended by thousands of party workers who came all gram panchayats of the state.

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