Opposing the proposed price hike in petroleum products, Left parties on Monday said the UPA Government had not consulted them on such a proposal.

“The Polit Bureau of the CPI-M denies any such consultation having taken place or giving its consent for such a hike,” the party said in a statement hereon Monday. “On the contrary, the CPI-M has been consistently opposing any hike in the prices of petroleum products,” it said.

According to the CPI-M estimates, the Centre had collected Rs 40,000 crores more than the budget estimates through ad valorem taxes.

“If this amount were returned to the oil companies the necessity of increasing the prices of petroleum products would not arise,” the statement said.

Echoing the same view, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta asked the government to reduce the tax burden on petroleum products and curb their consumption in the country. He contradicted reports that he had agreed to a minor price hike in petroleum products during a meeting with Petroleum Minister, Murli Deora, and described them as “false and fabricated".

“Neither did he call me, nor did he meet me. Even had he done so, we would have never agreed to such a suggestion,” Dasgupta said.

He said there was absolutely no justification for any hike in the prices, even marginal.

“The government should take care of international price hike by reducing taxes and curbing the consumption of petroleum products in the country, particularly by private car-owners and airline services,” Dasgupta said.

“If petroleum prices are increased, it would further escalate inflation, which is already unbearable for the people,” the CPI leader said.

‘Customers paying more’

Chitradurga, dhns: The BJP on Monday demanded the Centre to declare a policy of “revenue neutralisation” by adopting recommendations of the Expenditure Finance Commission, before taking decisions on fuel price hike.

“Ironically, the Indian customer is being asked to pay more though he is already paying the highest petrol prices in the world, compared on a purchasing power parity index,” said BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar.