The Trinamool Congress today opposed increase in the prices of LPG and and other petroleum products recommended by an expert panel headed by former Planning Commission member Kirti Parikh, saying a new burden of raised prices would hit the common people hard.
TC chief Mamata Banerjee said the common people had already been affected too much by the food inflation to withstand a new burden of increased prices.
"There has been an abnormal increase in the prices of essential commodities and I am against a fresh increase in the prices of petroleum products, especially LPG," Banerjee said.
She said there was no need to implement all the recommendations of the Parikh panel.
"Subsidised prices are alright. Subsidy is given by governments in developing countries keeping the interest of common people in mind," she said.
Yesterday, a prime minister-appointed panel, which included members Finance Secretary Ashok Chawala and Oil Secretary S Sundareshan, submitted a report to Petroleum Minister Murli Deora suggesting freeing petrol and diesel prices and called for raising LPG rates by a steep Rs 100 per cylinder and kerosene by Rs 6 a litre.