Press Statement
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Petroleum Prices: Useless maneouvre
The decision of the Vajpayee government to announce a marginal reduction in the prices of kerosene and cooking gas was expected. Neither will it relief the heavy burden imposed on the people through the across the board increase in the prices of all petroleum products, nor will it enhance the credibility of the government which seeks to reduce all these questions to political maneouvres to keep its coalition intact.
After increasing the prices of an LPG cylinder by Rs. 40, the government has now decided to keep the increase at Rs. 30 per cylinder. As for kerosene, after the reduction the increase will still be Rs. 2 per litre. Not a paise has been reduced in the steep increase in the prices of diesel and petrol. Out of the Rs 8,000 crore imposed on the people, the reduction is now working out to Rs. 139 crore per month and that too for the remaining four months of the fiscal year. Rs. 7400 crore burden on the people remains.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the government reverse the increase in prices of petroleum, diesel and other petroleum products and spare the people and the economy from its harmful effects.