Left parties to oppose fuel price hike

NEW DELHI: Adopting an aggressive posture, Left parties on Thursday warned the UPA government not to hike fuel prices for the fifth time during its tenure. They also threatened nationwide protests.

"If the government announces a hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, which is likely next week, then the Left parties and other organisations will oppose the move. We will contact other political parties and give a joint call for a nationwide protest action including a general strike," CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after a 90-minute meeting of the four Left parties supporting the UPA from outside.

Karat said the Left had made out "a strong and effective case" against increases in fuel prices and suggested a review of the taxation of petroleum products, including reducing customs and excise duties. But the government had not paid heed to these suggestions, adding to the burden of a rise in prices of essential commodities. Other leaders who attended the meeting were CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, CPI leader D Raja, Forward Bloc's Debabrata Biswas and G Devarajan and RSP's Abani Roy.

The Left parties, Karat said, also decided to prepare a comprehensive note on the two-year performance of the UPA government and submit it to the Left-UPA coordination committee. The note would also spell out areas of concern and areas of differences between the ruling coalition and its supporters.

Besides economic issues like the rise in prices, disinvestment and airport privatisation, the note would also deal with foreign policy issues. Non-implementation of "pro-people" commitments in the Common Minimum Programme like the women's reservation bill or the legislation on unorganised workers and agricultural labourers would also find a place in the note.

At the recent meeting of the UPA-Left Coordination Committee, the Left parties had asked the government to make corrections to the "negative" aspects of its economic policy.