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SHRI JAGMEET SINGH BRAR (FARIDKOT) : Sir, this is a matter of such great national importance and the hon. Prime Minister is going out. ...(Interruptions)

SHRI RAJESH PILOT (DAUSA) : Sir, when we could listen to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his Address, the hon. Prime Minister should be present and listen to this. It is a question of the common man who is hurt and he is the right person to be here. ...(Interruptions)

MR. SPEAKER : The concerned Minister, Shri Ram Naik is here.

Sir, the threat is big. I have not heard it from any Minister up till now but I find the bureaucrats saying that ESMA may be utilised; or, misutilised, for that matter. I would like to know from the Government whether they are going to apply ESMA here and what is going to happen and whether they are at all thinking of any subsidy just to somehow minimize the rigours of it.

Never in the past has there been such a steep hike in one stroke. In Delhi from Rs.10.37, it has gone up to Rs.13.91; in Calcutta, from Rs.10.52 to Rs.14.20; in Mumbai, from Rs.12.23 to Rs.16.54. Shri Ram Naik is here. Now, he will not be using it for his Railways but he is now responsible. Shri Ram Naik, do not be a ciphor there, you assert yourself. ... (Interruptions)

SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY (CHHAPRA): When he calls my name, I have to respond.

... (Interruptions)

MR. CHAIRMAN: You have spoken very well. Why are you spoiling it?

... (Interruptions)

SHRI V.M. SUDHEERAN (ALLEPPEY): Sir, the decision of the Government to hike the prices of diesel has thrown the people into deep miseries and untold difficulties. Sir, as all of us remember and as the hon. Chairman and my esteemed friend Shri Pandian rightly put, this decision was taken by the Caretaker Government just before the counting of ballots. This reflects the Government""""s arrogant disregard for the propriety, the democratic practice and conventions. The Caretaker Government did not care even to wait for the sweeping decision till the new Government took over. I am sorry to hear from the Prime Minister that he ruled out any rolling back in the price of diesel. Sir, I am again sorry to say that it is thoughtless as well as shocking. I would like to join my friend Shri Pandian in saying that it is a clear case of cheating the people who voted him to power. No Government so far dared to burden the people with such an unprecedented hike. After doing this much, the official interpretation has come out that the direct impact of the hike would be only 0.86 percentage. I am grateful to Shri Ram Naik for having sent us the document containing the details. Shri Ram Naik, as a person, is a gentleman and a man of pucca sense. Shri Ram Naik has referred that the direct impact of the hike would be 0.86 percentage, but what would be the indirect impact?

Why was this Oil Pool created? It was created in 1975 to ensure equal prices of petroleum products throughout the country.

This Oil Pool was created and it generated surplus up to 1993 and the Minister of Finance appropriated Rs.8,900 crore from the surplus which was generated in the Oil Pool Account upto 1993. (Interruptions) The Ministry is in a continuous process.

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI YASHWANT SINHA): The blame is in you.

SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Blame is also continuous because when United Front Government was there and when they also increased, we opposed it by sitting on that side. You could remember, Shri Ram Naik, we never supported the anti-people action taken by any Government, whichever Government. When there was deficit and there is deficit, why the Minister of Finance should not transfer that amount with interest? I have also worked out that amount and it is not less than Rs.20,000 crore, Shri Yashwant Sinha. If we add the amount which was surplus up to 1993, even 5 per cent interest which has been reduced, the amount would be not less than Rs.20,000 crore. If that amount is transferred to Oil Pool Account, then there should not be any deficit in the Oil Pool Account and Government need not increase the price of diesel and, as a result of increase of price of diesel, there has been cascading effect on all the commodities. All the vegetables in Delhi itself, in the Capital today, the prices are double of what was one month ago. Why I say that it has committed a fraud on the people of our country is because they chose that particular date to announce the decision which was taken much earlier, at least 15 days before the election was held. Then why the decision was taken 15 days before the election? Why was not that announced before the election? Why they waited for the election, before the counting, before the result? Why could they not wait for a week? Heavens would not have fallen if the Caretaker Government would have waited for the new Government to come to take such a vital decision by the new Government and when the Parliament was also being convened and summoned, why was this not brought before Parliament also? There should be some transparency in the action of the Government. What was the rationale behind it? Why was the result announced? Why such a decision was taken? Why the price of diesel was hiked? What is the impact of the increase in diesel prices? Not only the prices of the essential commodities -- I am not holding brief for the truck operators here -- they have gone on strike and because of that, what is the impact on the prices of essential commodities? What will happen to the railway freight? We have been clamouring for years together. Shri Ram Naik will be knowing because he was also in charge of railways that in 1951-52, railways used to carry 80 per cent of freight traffic. Now it has come down to 25 per cent only.