BJP has made elaborate plans for its countrywide agitation against the hike in petrol price.
When the issue of petrol price hike was discussed in the national executive meeting on Friday, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj suggested using vehicles that don’t run on petrol or diesel in the agitation. Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said that all executive committee members instantly welcomed Ms Swaraj’s suggestion.
“So, BJP workers can use various modes of transport such as bullock carts, bicycles etc. In Rajasthan, we may use camel carts,” Mr Prasad said. The party spokesperson further said that the nationwide bandh called by the NDA on May 31 will not be the only agitation in which the BJP will participate; the party will hold agitations at different levels even after that. The BJP has also decided to carry out the “Save Kashmir” campaign from June 23 to July 6, in light of the Kashmir interlocutors’ report.
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Jairam slams subsidies
New Delhi, May 25: In the midst of uproar over hike in petrol prices, rural development minister Jairam Ramesh Friday attacked the policy of subsidising diesel, kerosene and LPG and suggested that a roadmap be chalked out for phasing it out as the needy are not benefited.
“In our country if we combine diesel, kerosene and LPG, `1,90,000 crore is the amount of subsidy given. The budget of the entire rural development and drinking water ministries in comparison is `99,000 crore,” Mr Ramesh told reporters here.