Left to hold protest against hike in fuel prices

New Delhi, June 1 : The Left parties, in association with the non-Congress and non-BJP parties, will organise a nation-wide protest immediately after the government annonces the hike in prices of petroleum products next week.

''The exact date for the countrywide action will be decided after discussions with all the willing parties,'' CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told newspersons after a two-hour meeting of the Left parties here.

The meeting resolved to prepare a comprehensive note on the UPA government's two years performance. It also discussed the Office of Profit issue and key areas of ''differences'' with the UPA government on economic and foreign policy matters.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan and the leaders of the RSP and Forward Bloc were among others who attended the meeting.

A price hike of Rs two to three per litre of petrol is imminent next week, Petroleum Minsiter Murli Deora said here yesterday after meeting the Prime Minsiter.

Mr Karat said the Left parties were against any hike in fuel prices and reiterated their suggestion to the government to go in for review of the tax structure by reducing the customs and excise duties. Any hike in the prices of petroleum products would have a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities, he noted.

On the Office of Profit issue, the Left parties asked the Election Commmission not to get ''further embroiled'' in the controversy.

UNI