UPA move on diesel will have cascading effect on prices: CPI-M

Kolkata, Jan 17 (IANS) Assailing the UPA government for setting in motion the “decontrol process” of diesel prices, the CPI-M Thursday said the step would have a cascading effect on the prices of essentials thereby increasing the burden on the common man.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)’s central committee meeting here, party politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the decision was aimed at increasing the “super-profit” of the oil companies.

He dubbed the decision a “non-economic one”, saying the government imported crude diesel, while the price of the refined oil would go up.

“This will have a cascading effect on the price of essentials. It will increase the burden on the common man,” he said, reacting to the government allowing state-run oil marketing companies to revise diesel prices from time to time in line with global crude oil prices.

He said to contain public anger, the UPA government has given a sop by increasing the number of subsidised cooking gas cylinders per household to nine from six a year.

Terming the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as “insensitive” to the sufferings of the people, Yechury said it only protected the interests of the international financial capital and the big business. “It is committed to the neo-liberal economic policies”.

The CPI-M central committee was discussing the anti-people policies of the UPA dispensation, he said, adding it would take the issues before the masses.

“Early March, four jathas will originate from four parts of the country. They will culminate in Delhi where a big rally will be held on March 17 at the Ramlila Maidan”.

“Besides, we will also hold protest meetings, processions across the country against moves like the one on diesel”.

To another query, he said non-Left parties were also welcome to join the Left in the movements, but noted they had seen during the FDI in multi-brand retail issue that even those parties which protested on the streets against the government decision ended up supporting the government in parliament.

CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat also criticised the decision to allow public sector firms to hike diesel prices from “time to time”, saying the rates will now “go on increasing”.

“Now, diesel prices will go on increasing,” Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general Karat told media persons here.

IANS 2013-01-17 21:50:02