Learn from Kerala and roll back fuel price: Left to PM

Demanding a roll back of the hike in fuel prices, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury today suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should follow Kerala's example and reduce the duties on fuel.

The Left leader also ridiculed the government, alleging that while the Centre was giving Rs 3 lakh crore of relief for big unpaid loans of corporates, it had just given 1 paise relief for the common Indian.

"No BJP-ruled state has done this so far. Modi should follow the Kerala example and reduce the duties on fuel to at least pre-2014 levels. The nine increases in excise duty must be rolled back immediately," Yechury tweeted.

"In states like West Bengal too, CM's approach to people's misery is exactly what Modi at the Centre's is: Callous disregard for their agony," he alleged.

With fuel prices at an all-time high, the Kerala government decided to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by Re 1 in the state from Friday. With this, Kerala became the first state to announce a cut in fuel prices.

The CPI too criticised the oil price hike, alleging that the government had given absolute autonomy to the oil companies to decided on the important issue which affected the lives of the people.

The Left party called upon the people to protest against such anti-people policies of the government.

"What are the government and oil companies doing? It is nothing but mocking the unprecedented miseries and hardships of the common people. It shows the government's complete insensitivity and failure to stop the fuel price hike," CPI leader D Raja told PTI.

The reduction in petrol and diesel prices was today revised to just 1 paisa a litre each, with state-owned oil companies blaming clerical error for previously announcing a cut of up to 60 paise.

The marginal reduction comes after 16 consecutive price increases since May 14 when fuel retailers ended a 19-day pre-Karnataka poll hiatus to pass on a spike in global oil rates.