The Left Front has condemned both the state and central government for refusing to reduce their respective share of taxes on fuel prices which have crossed the Rs 100- mark in Kolkata, leading to rising prices of essential commodities.

The Left Front in its statement, said, at a time when due to the pandemic, the country is caught in inflation, the central government is continuing to raise prices in petrol diesel, kerosene and cooking gas, leaving common people in the lurch. The prices of fuel have crossed Rs100 per litre in Kolkata yet the Centre claims, it is due to a rise in international market prices.

Attempting to debunk the Centre’s alleged excuse in failing to control the prices, the Left alliance explained when the Modi government came to power in 2014, the international market price of fuel was $108 per barrel and yet the price in Kolkata was Rs 79.86. But at present when the price of fuel is $74.53 per barrel in the international market, the prices in Kolkata have crossed Rs 100 per litre.

It was deduced that the rising prices in only due to the centre and state refusing to compromise on the tax percentage levied on fuel. Modi government is levying 258 per cent on petrol and 820 on diesel. It criticised the Bengal government for allegedly not sparing a thought for common
people.

The statement claimed that in times of the Left Front government in Bengal, the state government had made a significant reduction in its share of fuel taxes to ensure common people are not pushed towards destruction. “Trinamul government is doing nothing to alleviate the trouble for people and instead, focussing on how to increase the riches in the state treasury” it alleged.

The Front further alleged that it has been observed that wherever the Left workers are staging agitation against the abnormal hike in prices, they are being arrested and thrown inside police lock-ups but the same police are not acting against Trinamul workers who are apparently defying covid protocols in party-run programmes.

The Left-Front said it immediately wants both state and centre to put an end to woes so the lives of people can be saved from such exploitation.