"We request the state government to consider partial reduction of state taxes on petrol provide some relief to consumers for the present till the prevailing situation eases," WBPCC president Pradip Bhattacharya said.
Attributing the petrol price hike to the steep fall in rupee and international crude price, he also appealed to the Centre to take suitable measures to stablise the rupee and review the petrol price to explore the possibility of lowering it as done earlier.
"The situation requires resolute policy decisions and fiscal disciplines to sail over the crisis and not to compromise with development programmes for the poor and rural people," he said.
He urged the Centre not to increase the price of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas which could have a cascading effect.
Asking political parties to see reason and act more responsibly, Bhattacharya alleged that some of them were making populist protests without proper assessment of the situation creating a wrong perception in the mind of the people.