Charging that the Rs 2 reduction in petrol price announced by the Congress-led coalition at the Centre is an eyewash and can in no way pacify the anger of the people, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday demanded that the Centre should withdraw the entire price hike of Rs 7.50 effected on May 23.
In a statement here, the CM said the meagre reduction in petrol price would be tantamount to “offering corn rice to a hungry elephant” (yaanai pasikku cholapori).
She further said the reduction would not benefit the poor and middle-class and that the present petrol price would continue to be a big burden on them. “As such, the Centre should stop enacting a drama in the disguise of reducing the price and should fully withdraw hike of `7.50 effected on May 23,” she said.
Jayalalithaa recalled that when the Centre announced the hike, she had condemned it strongly stating that the hike would add fuel to the flames and it would have a cascading impact on the lives of poor and middle class people.
The AIADMK had staged demonstrations across the State against the hike and all sections of the society had been demanding the withdrawal of hike, Jayalalithaa said. Despite the protests, the Centre had only announced this insufficient reduction in price now, she said.