Left furious over proposed hike in fuel price

Agartala, Feb 4: CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat has informed here yesterday that the Left Front will launch a nationwide agitation against the Centre's move to increase the fuel price.

Mr Karat told to the sources here that the Left parties had urged the Centre to reduce the tax on petrol and diesel ahead of Parliament's budget session to avoid the hike in fuel prices. ''It seems that the Manmohan Singh government is keen on the price rise, which has forced us to take this strong stand,'' Mr Karat reiterated.

He further said that rise in fuel prices would adversely affect the farmers as it would result in the soaring of prices of essential commodities.

''It could have been avoided by reducing the tax from prevailing 60 per cent on petrol and diesel,'' he said.

Mr Karat also alleged that Congress-led UPA government was retreating from the promises made in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

He also lambasted the UPA government for adopting the method of fixing quota of BPL families and urged it to immediately abolish the system.

UNI