New Delhi, June 27: Apparently finding itself on the backfoot over some UPA constituents too protesting the latest hike in fuel prices, Congress today said hard decisions have to be taken sometimes in national interest.
The issue needs to be looked at in a wider perspective and it has to be seen how the country can reduce its dependence on hydrocarbons energy, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at the AICC briefing.
“When prices rise, it affects common people. We are sensitive towards it. But sometimes hard decisions have to be taken in national interest”, he said adding that the purpose behind going in for the Indo-US nuclear deal was also to bring down the dependence on hydrocarbons.
Referring to the situation caused by the oil shock of 1974, he said that even in 2011, 84 per cent of the country's crude oil requirements are being made through imports in view of the “hydrocarbon addiction”.
Seeking to point out that the situation was no different in other countries, he said that USA has brought out its strategic reserves built 20 years back to meet the growing demand for oil.
He said there is need to rise over political considerations to decide on the energy policy of the country.
His comment came a day after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an ally of Congress at the Centre and in Maharashtra, launched an agitation against the hike in the prices of kerosene, diesel and LPG in the state.
DMK president M Karunanidhi, whose party is also part of the UPA, has utilised the opportunity to urge the Tamil Nadu government to emulate West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and cut sales tax on fuel to lessen the impact of the hike on the people. Banerjee's party is the second largest constitutent in the UPA after Congress. PTI
