Terming the 'economic trio' of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia as the 'Shivraj Patil' of the country's economy, BJP demanded on Tuesday that petrol and diesel prices be reduced by Rs 5 per litre.
The principal Opposition party said an immediate cut in petrol and diesel prices was required in the larger interest of the nation.
"International crude prices have stabilised at around $70 per barrel for more than a month now. Petroleum Minister Murli Deora had promised that once that happens, he will slash the prices . . . he has gone back on his words and seems to be following the United Progressive Alliance tradition of betraying the
aaam admi, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said a statement.
The BJP also demanded that interest rate on housing loans be brought down to 6
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per cent and a real push be given for infrastructure development to 'avoid a catastrophe'.
"These measures will accelerate the economic development," said Javadekar.
He claimed that the Congress-led UPA government mismanaged the economy "in such a way, and its inaction was so loud that the economic trio of Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and Montek Singh Ahluwalia proved Shivraj Patil of economy."
The party claimed that when the prime minister appealed to industry not to lay off workers, it seemed more of political expediency than economic wisdom.
"Already workers are retrenched and artisans are jobless in lakhs," he said, adding that the small and medium sectors have suffered the most 'and their woes remain unattended'.
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