New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday strongly condemned the recent hike in LPG cylinder prices, calling it “unprecedented” and warned of its cascading impact on consumers, small businesses and employment.
In a press statement issued here, the politburo of the party condemned the steep hike in prices of both commercial and the 5-kilogram gas cylinders.
It described the nearly Rs 1,000 increase in commercial cylinder prices as “unprecedented” and cautioned that it would inevitably push up costs across sectors.
“The steep hike of the rates of commercial cylinders by nearly a thousand rupees, which is unprecedented, is bound to have a cascading effect,” the CPI(M) said.
“Commercial establishments are bound to pass on the liability to the consumers adding to their burdens and inflation. Many small establishments will be forced to close, leading to lay-offs and huge job-losses, which has already started happening,” it said.
The party also raised concerns over the increase in the price of smaller cylinders, noting that while the price of 14-kilogram domestic cylinders has not been raised for now, “the prices for 5-kg non-subsidised cylinder has been hiked by a steep Rs 261”.
It added, “This cruel hike for the 5-kg cylinders will most adversely impact small households and migrant workers, who use them due to their inability to afford the 14-kg cylinders.” Linking the hike to broader inflationary pressures, the CPI(M) said, “This increase comes in the middle of the already increasing prices of various essentials of daily life.” It further said that rising fuel costs are already affecting migration patterns. “Thousands of migrant workers have already left cities and towns and gone back to their villages due to shortage of gas cylinders and their increased prices,” the party said. Criticising the government, it said, “This is the second such hefty increase of the prices of commercial cylinders that has been done by the Modi government in the past two months.” It further accused the government of maintaining high taxes despite the burden on consumers, saying this “exposes its anti-poor bias”.
Demanding immediate action, the statement said, “The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demands the immediate withdrawal of the hike in the prices of LPG cylinders.” It also called on party units nationwide to mobilise protests against the increase.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever, Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder, on May 1, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict. PTI AO PRK
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