Press Statement issued by Shri Prakash Javadekar
National Spokesperson, BJP

1. The UPA government's dilly dallying on basic policy issues regarding petroleum prices is causing unnecessary hardships to the common man and it is also likely that the government will burden the consumer with higher petrol and diesel prices in a few days from now. The Bharatiya Janata Party demands that the government must declare policy of revenue neutralisation by adopting recommendations of the Expenditure Finance Commission before taking any decision regarding price hike of petroleum products. It is ironical that the Indian customer is being asked to pay more though he is already paying the highest petrol prices in the world, if compared on a purchasing power parity index. The Expenditure Finance Commission headed by Geeta Krishnan and Kirti Parikh have given the rationale of revenue neutralization, which guarantees definite revenue through flexible duty structure but does not burden the hapless customers with additional burden in the face of rising international prices. The revenue earnings from the petroleum sector was in the region of Rs. 70,000 crores in 2004, which has doubled to nearly Rs. 1,40,000 crores this year. The government should not profit from escalation of prices in the international market. The standing committee of the Petroleum Ministry has also unanimously recommended various suggestions, which will spare consumers from further burden.

The BJP will oppose any move of the government to increase the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

2. The UPA government has practically gone back on its promise to blend petrol with 5% ethanol immediately and 10% at later stage. The decision to this effect was taken and declared four months ago. The price of ethanol was set at Rs. 21.50 per liter. The process and mechanism of blending ethanol is already in place. If the government would have implemented its own decision, it would have helped the sugarcane farmers and crisis ridden sugar industry to a great extent. More than 250 factories can produce 220 crore liter of ethanol annually. Blending of ethanol will not only save foreign exchange given the huge imports but will also help farmers in getting more price for sugarcane. The country will also be saved with the pilling of sugar stocks.

The BJP condemns the government inaction and charges that the government has developed cold feet because of the pressures from the liquor lobby and vested interests in petroleum imports.

3. The fire in Kolkata’s Bada Bazar area has brought to the fore the abysmal failure of the Left Front government in West Bengal . The BJP condemns the attitude of the government, which is pleading helplessness for disaster management, which is its own responsibility. Instead of bringing water from flowing Ganga river just half a kilometer away from the fire, the government was giving an alibi of insufficient water from its dilapidated unfiltered water line. Failure of making water available, not allowing the army to take any corrective action, failure of many fire tenders and the callous attitude of those in power has proved the government's complete failure on all fronts.

This is the third major fire in Bada Bazar and other bazars like Garia Hath, Posta market, Siyalda market, Khidirpur market, College street market have fallen pray to such fires earlier. The West Bengal Government failed to take preventive actions to avoid such disasters. The BJP demands a high level inquiry into the incident and proper compensation for the affected.

(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge