Tuesday, September 6 2005 19:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Condemning the "fifth increase" in prices of petroleum products by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government in the last 14 months, BJP today said it would hit the common man hard and threatened to launch a country wide agitation against it.

"When there is rise in international prices of petroleum products, we expect the Government to reduce its share of profit and revenue earnings. Paradoxically, a Government which got elected on the slogan of common man (Aam Aadmi) has put substantial part of the burden on the common man", party General Secretary and spokesman Arun Jaitley told reporters here.

The hike will hit the common man hard, particularly the farmers who are dependant on diesel, he said. The party will announce a country wide programme against the hike in a day or two, Jaitley said.