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CPI asks government to roll back hike in petrol price

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has urged the Centre to immediately roll back its decision to increase the petrol price by Rs.5 per litre, stating the decision would severely affect the common man, who was already suffering due to the increase in the prices of essential commodities.

Rajya Sabha member and party National Secretary D. Raja, in a statement here on Saturday, said the decision of the oil companies to increase the petrol price was “unacceptable.” The government should ask the oil companies to look out for alternative avenues to compensate for the revenue loss rather than coming down hard on the common man with frequent hikes in petrol price. The government could also reduce taxes on petrol for bringing the final price of petrol down some, he said.

PTI reports from New Delhi:

‘Joke on the people'

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday criticised the hike in petrol price and alleged that the “anti aam-admi” government was waiting for the conclusion of the Assembly elections before it made the announcement.

“The BJP strongly condemns this increase in the price of petrol. The government, which always harps on about being with the ‘aam admi' [common man], is betraying it. The United Progressive Alliance regime says it did not control the price of petrol, but kept a check on it till the elections,” party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

He described the price hike as a “gift” from the government after the Congress victory in West Bengal and Assam. “This is a joke on the people.”

The main Opposition maintained that the government could cut down on some of the Central taxes to give relief to the people.

“In the last two years, the increase in petrol price has been by Rs.23 per litre. This government should realise that when petrol prices go up, the prices of other commodities also go up,” Mr. Hussain said.

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