By IANS,
Agartala : Tripura’s Left Front government Friday demanded immediate withdrawal of the hike in petrol prices while the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) organised vociferous demonstrations.
State-owned oil companies Thursday announced a hike of Rs.3.14 per litre in prices of petrol, effecting from midnight.
“The Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government and state sponsored oil companies have increased petrol prices 59 times in 10 years, or six times per year,” Tripura’s Transport and Power Minister Manik Dey told reporters.
Demanding immediate withdrawal of the petrol price hike, Dey, also a senior leader of the CPI-M, said: “With the increase in petrol prices, the cost of all essentials and goods would automatically go up.”
The minister said people are reeling under the heavy price-rise of essential items and the fuel price hike would further increase the burden on the common men.
The state committee of the CPI-M, the dominant party of the ruling Left Front, also organised huge protest demonstrations across the state Friday against price-rise.
“The UPA government can reduce customs and excise duty to balance the marginal price hike of petroleum products in the international market,” said a CPI-M statement.
It said after decontrol of the petrol prices in June last year, the price of petrol has increased 10 times.