India is fuming over a sharp rise of 14 percent in the price of diesel by the ruling Congress- led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which on Friday sparked massive protests by the general public as well political parties - the opposition and some government allies, across the country.

The rise of five rupees (10 U.S. cents) is the first such hike in diesel price by the government recently, which says it is meant to cut the country's budgetary deficit. The protests were also fueled by the government's limiting the usage of subsidized liquefied petroleum gas to six cylinders per household every year.

India subsidizes the prices of diesel, cooking gas and kerosene in order to help the poor people of the country as well as to keep inflation in control.

Throughout the day, local TV channels showed images of massive protests taking place in the national capital and Mumbai, apart from northern cities like Chandigarh, Karnal, Kanpur, Allahabad, Agra, Ludhiana and eastern cities like Kolkata, over the government's decision to hike the diesel price and limit the usage of subsidized gas cylinders.

The country's main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accused the government of conspiring with fuel mafia and condemned the price hike.

"This is a cruel joke on the common man in the country. It has hit farmers hard during the peak paddy sowing season. We will not allow this hike. We will not allow this government to loot the common man like this," BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told the media in the national capital.

Even UPA allies like the eastern state of West Bengal's Trinamool Congress, southern India's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and eastern state of Bihar's Rashtriya Janata Dal also aspersed the government, demanding an immediate rollback. Some have indicated pulling out of the ruling coalition over the government's decision which they say will hit the common man.

Trinamul Congress chief and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee said: "If people do not mind, I will be most happy to withdraw support (to the UPA). If I withdraw support then other parties will provide support to them. And, then ask why we left the UPA which led to its collapse."

"People had misunderstood us when we had withdrawn support earlier. Therefore, we are having a detailed discussion in the party on these issues," he said.

Another UPA ally, the northern state of Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party also said it wants an immediate rollback. "The decision is ill-timed and will hurt the common man," the state's Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav told the media.

However, justifying the decision, India's Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia said: "Diesel price hike is a tough decision and we need a lot of tough decisions to get to 8 percent growth rate."

The stock markets and the industry as a whole have instantly cheered the decision.