Mumbai: Senior BJP leader and NDA government`s former union petroleum minister Ram Naik lashed out at the UPA government on Tuesday for hiking petrol and diesel prices twice in two days, adding that the government had "lost its sanity".
"Diesel and petrol prices which accelerate the vicious circle of inflation (rising prices) have been increased twice in two days. The question arises whether the Congress government has lost its sanity," Naik said, while addressing a press conference here today.
"The government allowed an increase of Rs 1.11 for petrol per litre and Rs 0.71 for diesel on January 3. After two days, prices were raised on January 5 by another Rs 1.64 for petrol and Rs 1.09 for diesel. Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily owes an explanation to the people about why prices were increased twice in two days," he said.
Despite Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s confession that the Congress defeats in the four assembly elections was due to inflation, it looks like the Congress has still not learnt any lesson, Naik said.
While petrol was sold at Rs 33.15 per litre in 2004, it is now at Rs 81.31 (145 per cent increase), diesel price increased from Rs 22.50 to Rs 62.60 (178 per cent increase) and kerosene price rose from Rs 18 to Rs 70 (280 per cent increase), he said.
Domestic LPG cooking gas cylinder which was sold at Rs 244 has gone up to Rs 1,264.50 without subsidy (418 per cent increase), he said.
"The increase in prices of petroleum products accelerates the speed of the vicious circle of inflation. The Manmohan Singh government did not use alternative fuels like ethanol," Naik said, adding that the NDA government had succeeded in stablising prices of essential commodities during its tenure.
