AAP to launch nationwide campaign against high petrol prices

New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said it will launch a nationwide campaign against the high petrol prices.

Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai made the announcement while addressing the media and said that the party will hold an emergency meeting of all MLAs and district heads on Wednesday in Delhi to plan the strategy of the campaign.

The leader said that when the Modi government came to power the price of crude oil in the international market was $105.5 per barrel and the price of petrol was Rs 71 per litre in Delhi.

Now the international price has more than halved, but the price of petrol in Delhi has increased, Rai said.

He added that the central government claimed the high price was due to state taxes, and because petrol and diesel were not under the ambit of GST, "but it's not true."

"BJP is keeping quiet because they have to go to these companies for the next election," the leader said.

He said that the BJP had come to power with the promise of checking price rise but they have failed.

"What has government to do with this (high petrol price)? Why is the government not controlling these companies?" the leader asked.

The leader said that they will also launch a social media campaign against the high petrol prices, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi.