Terming the partial rollback of petrol prices an eyewash, chief minister Jayalalithaa demanded a total rollback.
“Reducing Rs 2 from the hike of Rs 7.50 will no way benefit the poor and the marginal reduction will not soothe people’s anger.
It will continue to be a burden on the poor and middle-class,” Ms Jayalalithaa said in a statement on Saturday evening.
The chief minister was reacting to the Centre’s decision to cut by Rs 2 per litre in a partial rollback of Rs 7.50 per litre.
Congress-led UPA government’s decision to reduce the price by Rs 2 reminded her of a Tamil proverb, “feeding popcorns to the hungry elephant,” she said and asked the Centre to completely roll back the hike, instead of enacting “eye wash” dramas.
The AIADMK supremo said Congress-led UPA had caused unbearable burden on the people by effecting an unprecedented hike from the midnight of May 23.
She recalled that she had vehemently opposed and condemned the Centre for hiking petrol price, when people were already burdened by the price rise because of Centre’s wrong economic policies.
She had also pointed out that the hike would create a dent in the monthly budget of the poor and middle-class people, besides seriously affecting their purchasing power and their economic status.
AIADMK had on Tuesday, organised demonstrations in front of Central government offices across the state against the hike, she said adding various organisations and a wide section of people continued to voice their protest against the hike.
The tears shed by the people will turn into a weapon to unseat the anti-people coalition government led by the Congress, she added.
Jaya to finalise plan outlay in delhi tomorrow
Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa will leave for New Delhi on Monday to finalise the plan outlay for the 2012-13 fiscal for the state with the Planning Commission.
During her meeting with Planning Commission deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia she would present an overview of the state’s perspective and plans for growth and development. The chief secretary and finance secretary will participate in the meeting along with the chief minister.
During the meeting with the deputy chairperson on July 6, 2011, she had stated that the state’s outstanding debt had mounted to Rs 1,01,541 crore in addition to the outstanding debt of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Company (Tangedco) of over Rs 40,000 crore.
After storming to power in May last, Ms Jayalalithaa paid her maiden visit to Delhi to call on PM Manmohan Singh in June.
There is no indication as to whether she will meet any other leader during her visit to the Capital on Monday.