Mamata not happy with partial rollback of petrol prices
Expressing her dissatisfaction over the partial cut in the petrol price hike, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure its complete rollback.
"We are not happy with this partial cut in petrol prices by Rs.2 per litre. When the crude oil prices are coming down in the international market, then why is there an oil price hike in India? Why shouldn't the hiked prices be completely rolled back?" a close aide quoted Banerjee as saying. "The chief minister has told Dr. Singh to see that there is a total roll back. He has said that he will look into the matter," the aide said.
Banerjee Saturday made the request to Manmohan Singh during his brief visit to the city. "She requested him to think over a rollback," the official Trinamool Congress website said.
In a partial rollback, oil marketing companies cut petrol prices by Rs.2 a litre with effect from midnight Saturday after crude prices softened in the global market, easing pressure on a government that faced a political backlash for the hike in the petrol prices 10 days ago.
Banerjee earlier led a protest rally of several thousands here, asking the central government to roll back the increased petroleum prices. Banerjee also demanded a "national status" for the annual Ganga Sagar Mela held at the Sagar Island of South 24-Parganas.
