New Delhi: The government is considering various proposals including shutting petrol pumps in the night to taper fuel demand as it looks at ways to cut the massive oil import bill, Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily said today, drawing a sharp reaction from BJP.

“There are various options and ideas that have been floated. Shutting petrol pumps during night is one of them. But we have not decided. It is just a proposal,” Moily told from Bangalore.

The oil import bill is being trimmed to bring down current account deficit.

“Shutting petrol pump is an idea that has come to us. We have not adopted it. It is not my view,” Moily said.

Reacting sharply, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, “What is petrol pump,? Government will close the country… Won’t the people fill their car fuel tanks in the morning. This is a strange move by Moily”.

If the Manmohan Singh government has run out of ideas to tackle the economic mess, it can take suggestions from the BJP, he said.

Oil Secretary Vivek Rae said there was no plan before the ministry to order petrol pumps in cities to remain shut from 8 pm to 8 am to curb demand for petrol and diesel.