Click to play videoPetroleum Minister Murli Deora says the Left Front doesn’t support the Government’s decision to hike fuel prices but is sure they will be convinced soon. “Everything will be taken care of,” he told CNN-IBN’s Meetu Jain. Deora said the kerosene didn’t want to raise the price of kerosene because it didn’t want to “burden” the common man.
CNN IBN: Mr Deora, what was the need for this kind of a hike? You say that the required price of petrol was Rs 21.43 and for diesel it was Rs 31.58, but you have not increased the price of kerosene, the most subsidised fuel currently. Of course, kerosene is for the aam aadmi but remember people who are using gas and LPG are also the aam aadmi?
Murli Deora:Kerosene is a requirement of the poorest people in our country; that is why we continue at Rs 9. Nowhere, else in the world is kerosene available at Rs 9 per litre. It is our desire to see that people are not burdened by the rise in kerosene price. That is why we don’t want to raise it by a paise even.
CNN IBN: Do you think there is likely to be a rollback because the Left is really not come on board? You have admitted that you have spoken to CPI-M leader Prakash Karat but he is opposed to this kind of a hike. The Left is really not on board at the moment?
Murli Deora: I did speak to him and they are definitely not supporting it, but sooner or later they will realize that there is no alternative solution. I have explained to them the amount of losses we are making—what will happen to the oil companies.
CNN IBN: But the Left are planning nationwide protests. They have come out very strongly against the hike.
Murli Deora:We will explain to them; everything will be taken care of.
CNN IBN: How have you convinced the other allies of the Government about the price hike?
Murli Deora: Most of the people say that they do not support us but in their hearts they do, as they know there is no other solution.
CNN IBN: Is there likely to be a rollback? Should we expect some kind of a relief?
Murli Deora: No.
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