People's Democracy

CPI(M) Protest In Delhi Against Oil Price Hike

STRONGLY opposing the increase in the prices of petroleum products announced by the UPA government and demanding its withdrawal, the Delhi state committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held a massive protest demonstration at parliament street on September 8. The rally was addressed by Prakash Karat, general secretary, CPI(M) and Jogendra Sharma, central committee member, CPI(M).

By this hike, petrol price has been increased by Rs 3/- pet litre and that of the diesel by Rs 2/- per litre. This price hike comes in the wake of four price hikes in petroleum products in the past fifteen months.

Prakash Karat said that it was astonishing that out of the retail-selling price of Rs 43/- per litre for petrol, Rs 26 is being paid as taxes and duties of one kind or other. In the case of diesel, the tax duty component is approximately Rs 12/- per litre for retail prices of Rs 30.45/ per litre. As against the Rs 28,013 crore collected as excise duty in 2001-2002, the government has collected Rs 43,662 crore in 2004-2005 (provisional). He warned that this practice of putting a double burden of both increased crude oil price and enhanced duty/tax on consumers can not be allowed to continue. He said, today’s action programme was a warning to the UPA government that the CPI(M) cannot be taken for granted and we shall oppose and fight all its anti-people policies.

Strongly criticising the UPA government, Jogendra Sharma said that there was no justification for this price increase. It will affect the farmers and increase the cost of living for those who rely on transportation for pursuing their daily work and activities. The price increase in diesel in particular will be inflationary and have a cascading effect on prices of all commodities. He demanded the withdrawal of the successive increase in oil prices.