As the diesel price hike fuelled angry protests across the country, UPA's allies and Opposition parties today demanded a rollback which also had the backing of Kerala's Congress Chief Minister.

Badgered from all sides, the Congress on its part said tough measures are required for growth and appealed to opposition parties to understand the situation, asking them not to do "politics" on everything.

The opposition and even important allies of the UPA slammed the price hike terming it an anti-people step and demanded a roll back.

We are unhappy and astonished that in spite of the formation of the UPA coordination committee after a long time, such a decision was taken without consulting us. We demand a rollback. My state is very much willing to provide full relief to the common people and farmers affected by the increase in prices of domestic LPG and diesel. But at the same time, Centre must allow state to collect all taxes, now taken away by the Centre. This will enable the state to provide full relief and subsidy.
-- Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress

If they had consulted (us), there would have been no need for me to issue a statement yesterday condemning the price hike.
-- M. Karunanidhi, DMK Chief

The step is undemocratic. If need be SP will not hesitate to take any kind of stern steps. We will oppose this hike and take to the streets.
-- Naresh Agarwal, Samajwadi Party General Secretary

The hike in diesel and LPG prices is a betrayal of aam aadmi (common people) and it will have cascading effect on cost of essential commodities, resulting in further inflation and price hike. It is now test of the (UPA) allies. They only make verbal protests, but they approve and support the government whenever it is in deep trouble. UPA allies must explain to the people (about their double standards) because they are partners in the crime.
-- Prakash Javadekar, BJP Spokesperson

The hike in diesel price would have a cascading effect on prices of essential commodities which were already beyond the reach of the common people. This hike would adversely effect the transport sector as well as already suffering debt ridden peasantry.
-- SAD Spokesperson

It is a breakdown and failure of the economic policy of the Government of India. Steep rise of diesel price will affect every person, particularly the poor. We demand immediate roll back of the diesel price.
-- Naveen Patnaik, BJD Chief

The government it seems has become careless and adopted a 'we don't care' approach towards people. The government's slogan given before the polls of Congress' hand with the common man now seems to have become "Congress' hand is a betrayal with the people.
-- M. Venkaiah Naidu, BJP Leader

This is an anti-people decision. Reeling under the pressure of continued price hike of petrol, the common man has been further subjected to more hardships with this decision of unprecedented diesel price hike of Rs five per litre as well as quota of six LPG gas cylinders per family.
-- Mayawati, BSP Chief

Both the diesel price hike and LPG restriction will hit the common people and the party will strongly protest the move.
-- Prakash Karat, CPI-M General Secretary

Government has unleashed a financial terror on the common man. his government has some enmity with the common people. It does not want to give them any relief. They want to teach the people of this country a lesson. And this is the primary manifesto or agenda of Congress. The poor, farmers, journalists, all will be affected.
-- Rajiv Pratap Rudy, BJP Leader

The Centre has inflicted a cruel joke on the people who are reeling under the price rise and inflation.
-- Nitish Kumar, JD (U)

The decisions are retrogade and anti-people and will further increase hardship of the common people. Government should not go ahead with it.
-- D.Raja, CPI

The rise in diesel prices would lead to escalation in prices of all commodities and severely hit farmers.
-- Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister

The latest hike has shocked the consumers. They should immediately withdraw the hike. Otherwise, people will teach a lesson to Congress.
-- N. Chandrababu Naidu, TDP Leader

The diesel price hike is quite unfortunate.
-- Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress Chief

BJP workers burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and blocked roads in various parts of West Bengal while Youth outfits of CPI(M), CPI and BJP took out protest marches in Kerala opposing the diesel price hike.

In Pune, women activists of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) served black tea made on a "chulha" (earthen stove) fire in protest against the hike. Hundreds of BJP workers carrying posters condemning the UPA government's 'cruel blow' to the common man, blocked traffic on Howrah Bridge for some time with party leaders claiming that similar road blocks were held at Cooch Behar in north Bengal and Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district.

Shiv Sena and RPI workers held demonstrations in Mumbai to protest the price hike in LPG cylinder and diesel effected by the government. The Sena workers organised a "bailgadi" (bullock cart) yatra and cyclinder yatra in the city and suburbs to protest the hike.

The novel demonstration was staged at the Alka talkies square in the city where the women lit the earthen stove fire using wood and kerosene and offered the tea without milk to the bystanders, even as party workers raised anti-government slogans denouncing the fuel price hike.

The Joint Council of Bus Syndicate, which claims affiliation of 35,000 buses in West Bengal, called for an indefinite strike from September 17 statewide following the steep hike in diesel price. "It's impossible for us to run buses any more following the steep increase in diesel price. We have no other option but to go for a strike, " General Secretary of the Syndicate Sadhan Das told a hurriedly called press meet here.