BPCL divestment is like killing the golden goose: Congress

Leading a long march here on Monday, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for disinvesting the public sector oil company BPCL and termed it as 'killing the golden goose'.

The long march was organised by the Ernakulam district Congress Committee and taking part in it were thousands of people who walked about three kilometres from Tripunithura to the BPCL refinery, near here.

"The decision of the Centre to sell off BPCL is against the interest of the country and hence all attempts will be made to oppose this. The Kerala opposition will lend its full support to the protest by the BPCL staff against disinvestment. Modi is killing the golden goose," said Chennithala.

The Cochin refineries, here is part of BPCL, was set up by Kerala government and when it was taken over by BPCL, the government kept the five per cent stake in it.

Besides, Kerala government also supported the BPCL by way of tax reliefs.