Kolkata, June 25 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist’s labour arm, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Friday launched a scathing attack on Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, saying her stand on the fuel price rise smacked of ‘hypocrisy’.
CITU’s West Bengal unit president Shyamal Chakraborty asked why Banerjee, also the railways minister, did not protest against the price rise at the meeting of the empowered Group of Ministers.
‘She is a member of the empowered Group of Ministers which took the decision. She was in Delhi yesterday (Thursday) also. If she says that she is not happy with the price rise then why is she not protesting against it?’
‘This is nothing more than hypocrisy. What she says is meaningless. She thinks all people are fools,’ said an angry Chakraborty.
Banerjee said in New Delhi she was not ‘happy’ with the fuel price hike as it puts pressure on the common man, but her party would not withdraw from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
‘My party does not support this hike. This puts all the pressure on the people. Government should reconsider the decision to increase the price of diesel, kerosene and LPG,’ Banerjee said.
The Indian government Friday freed petrol from administrative control and hiked the prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas in a major policy reform that will help improve its fiscal position and release funds for other programmes.
The government hiked the prices of diesel by Rs.2 a litre, kerosene by Rs.3 a litre and cooking gas by Rs.35 per cylinder. The prices of petrol will now be costlier by Rs 3.50 per litre.
The CITU called a public transport strike Saturday protesting against the fuel price increase.
