Oil Price Hike

Date: 
Monday, September 1, 2003

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) deplores the steep increase in the prices of petrol and diesel announced by the central government.  This increase will have a deleterious effect on the economy and a cascading effect on the prices of all commodities.

The oil companies have hiked the prices of petrol by Rs. 2.28 and diesel by Rs. 1.49 per litre. There is no justification for transferring the burden of international prices to the common man, as these companies are making huge profits. The government deliberately waited for parliament to adjourn before announcing the steep hike.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the steep hike in the prices of petrol and diesel be withdrawn immediately.