The CPI(M) district committee has condemned the steep hike in petrol and diesel prices, at a time when the people were reeling under the impact of the pandemic, and sought immediate withdrawal of the hike.
In a statement here on Tuesday, party district secretary K. Lokanadham alleged that the Union government was financially crippling people, many of whom had lost their livelihood due to the COVID-19 crisis, by the steep hike in petrol and diesel prices. The price of oil has gone down in the international market and it was much lower in our neighbouring countries. The price of a litre of petrol was ₹63 in Sri Lanka, ₹67 in Nepal and ₹46 in Pakistan as against the price of ₹90 a litre in India, he said.
The tax on a litre of diesel, which was ₹9.48 a litre, when the BJP came to power in 2014, has now gone up to ₹32.98.
Similarly, the tax on diesel has increased from ₹3.56 to ₹31.81 a litre during the same time. During the pandemic, the price of petrol increased by ₹13 a litre and diesel by ₹16 a litre. This has led to a steep hike in the prices of essential commodities, he alleged.
He demanded withdrawal of the hike to provide relief to the public. He also sought that the State government should exert pressure on the Centre to reduce prices.
