Onus to cut fuel prices lies on Centre: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that the Centre should look into the issue of surging fuel prices not from a political angle but from the common man's point of view.

The everyday increase in petrol and diesel prices is causing severe problem for the common people, Banerjee said.

"This price hike causes severe problem for the common people. This is an issue of the common people. The central government must look into this," Banerjee told reporters here.

The chief minister is in Santiniketan to be a part of the Visva-Bharati convocation, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina will also be present.

Banerjee also said that there should not be any politics or any differences between the Centre and the state while dealing with issues involving common people.

"I do not want any fight between the states and the Centre. These issues (affecting the common man) must be addressed above politics," she said.

Incidentally, the Trinamool Congress has said that it would organise protests in the city tomorrow against sharp hike in fuel prices across the country. Similar protests would be held in districts on Saturday and Sunday.

The rising crude prices in the international market have prompted state-owned oil companies to raise domestic prices for 11th day in a row.

Petrol prices today went up to Rs 80.12 a litre and diesel Rs 71.08 a litre in Kolkata.

According to the Centre's premier think tank NITI Aayog, states tax the oil on ad valorem basis and on an average they tax petrol at 27 per cent.