Cut tax on petroleum products: CPI

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on Monday asked the government to reduce the tax burden on petroleum products and clubbed their consumption in the country.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on Monday asked the government to reduce the tax burden on petroleum products and clubbed their consumption in the country.

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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 called me nor did he meet me. Even he had done so, we would have never agreed to such a suggestion," Dasgupta told PTI.

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