POLITICAL PARTY PROTESTS AGAINST INCREASED PETROL PRICES IN INDIAN CAPITAL

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 2:07

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS BBC

Regional party protests increased petrol prices in Indian capital.

Members of the Janata Dal-United demonstrate against increased prices of petrol in India's national capital New Delhi.

SHOWS:

NEW DELHI, INDIA (MAY 17, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. PROTESTORS GATHERED

2. PROTESTORS STANDING WITH A BANNER IN HINDI HIGHLIGHTING THE OBJECTIVE OF PROTEST

3. A WOMAN SHOUTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS

4. WOMAN AND PROTESTORS SLOGANEERING

5. AN EFFIGY REPRESENTING INFLATION

6. PEOPLE STANDING NEAR THE EFFIGY

7. SHARAD YADAV, LEADER OF THE JANATA DAL-UNITED OR JD(U), ARRIVING

8. YADAV WALKING WITH PROTESTORS

9. A PROCESSION BEING TAKEN OUT BY THE PROTESTORS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) SHARAD YADAV, LEADER OF THE JANATA DAL UNITED OR JD(U), SAYING:"The objective of today's protest is that inflation must be contained or the government must leave its powers. The promises that they made of standing by the common people have not been fulfilled. They have created chaos. The common people, especially the working class, have been dealt a severe blow to their stomachs. And now they are going to increase the rates of diesel and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)."

11. PROTESTORS BEATING UP THE EFFIGY OF INFLATION

12. PROTESTORS SETTING THE EFFIGY ON FIRE

13. POLICE STANDING NEAR A BARRICADE

14. PROTESTORS APPROACHING THE POLICE BARRICADE

15. YADAV BEING ESCORTED BY THE POLICE

16. POLICE TAKING AWAY YADAV AND SOME OF HIS SUPPORTERS

STORY: Members of the regional Janata Dal-United demonstrated against the increased prices of petrol in Indian capital New Delhi on Tuesday (May 17).

Following an increase in international crude oil prices, state-owned oil companies - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation's largest fuel refiner and retailer, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation - raised petrol prices by rupees 5 (around 11 US cents) per litre, which came into effect from midnight of Sunday (May 15).

The protest saw JD(U) members shouting slogans against inflation and beating and burning an effigy representing inflation, as well.

JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav addressed the crowd of protestors and condemned the federal government for their failure to contain inflation.

Speaking to the media, Yadav said the Congress party-led federal government had lost all its moral right to be in power as its continued increase of prices of commodities had made the lives of people miserable.

"The objective of today's protest is that inflation must be contained or the government must leave its powers. The promises that they made of standing by the common people have not been fulfilled. They have created chaos. The common people, especially the working class, have been dealt a severe blow to their stomachs. And now they are going to increase the rates of diesel and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)," he said.

Yadav also sharply criticised the government for its involvement in various scams and scandals that have heavily affected its image.

A protest march was also carried out which was stopped by the police after Yadav and some of his supporters courted arrest.

The international price of crude oil has gone up recently and oil companies are said to be suffering huge losses daily.

The oil sector is one of the biggest contributors to federal revenues. Taxes in India, which imports about 80 percent of its fuel needs, are among the highest in the region, making up 46 percent of pump prices on petrol and 31 percent of diesel.

IOC, which is India's biggest refiner, controlling 1.294 million barrels per day of crude processing capacity, said its debt is growing by 50-60 billion rupees every month due to the sale of refined products at subsidised prices.

The state run firms dominate oil marketing in India and tend to adjust prices in tandem.