Cong hails reduction in prices of fuel, Left wants more

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI)The Congress today hailed the reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs two and Re one a litre respectively by the Centre, while the CPI (M) demanded a further rollback saying the cut had only led to a ''50 per cent'' relief for the commom man.

''The Congress is happy that the price reduction would benefit the common man,'' party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said, adding the Government has responded within a short time of the international price of crude oil coming down.

Claiming that the previous NDA Government had increased the petrol price 33 times, of kerosene five times and of diesel 34 times, he said that against this, the UPA Government had increased the petrol price on ten occasions and diesel three times.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) demanded that prices of petrol and diesel be cut by Rs four and Rs two per litre respectively.

Addressing a press conference in Parliament House, CPI(M) group leader in the Rajya Sabha Sitaram Yechury said the UPA government had failed to contain prices of essential commodities like sugar and wheat, among other things. The party's floor leader in the Lok Sabha Basudeb Acharia was also present.

Responding to a specific query whether UPA Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi was the ''Satta Ka Kendra (centre of power)'' in the wake of her pressure on the government to effect a cut in the prices of petrol and diesel, Mr Yechury retorted that they should also note that the fact that she had acceded to the persistent demand of the Left parties.

Stressing that the Left had not only been raising the issue on the floor of Parliament, but had also been waging a relentless struggle on the price front, he said the price cut in the prices of petrol and diesel should be so-related proportionately with the prices of crude oil in the international market.

Mr Yechury also underlined the need for more urgent measures like strengthening the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the Fair Price Shops to provide more relief to the common people.

UNI TEAM PA RP BD2022