Stop torturing citizens with hike in fuel prices: V D Satheesan

Activists from Leftist party protest against hike in fuel prices, in Siliguri, on Monday. Pic/AFP

With fuel prices being hiked daily, including a 35 paise rise in petrol cost on Monday, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan asked the Centre not to "torture" citizens in this manner.

"Benefit of decrease in global crude prices is being denied to consumers here due to continued increase in additional excise duty on petroleum by the Centre," he said on a Malayalam news channel. The Centre should stop torturing people like this."

The Congress leader also urged the Kerala government to help citizens by providing a fuel subsidy. Petrol price has breached the Rs 100-mark across the state. There was no change in diesel rates on Monday, when petrol price was hiked for the 35th time since May 4. In Mumbai, petrol is priced at Rs 105.92 a litre.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to lower the taxes charged by the Centre on fuel "to check the overall inflation". "It is my earnest request that the taxes charged by the Centre on petrol and diesel are substantially reduced to give much-needed relief to people and check the overall inflation trend in the country," she said.

35
Paise by which petrol rate was hiked on Monday

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever