The West Bengal committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has termed the budget “directionless” and said the proposed increase in duties on petrol and diesel will drive up the prices of essential items. An unnecessary burden was imposed on the people, State committee secretary Biman Bose said. The Left parties would stage a protest against the budgetary proposals at a rally in New Delhi on March 12.
The government did not spell out any measure to combat the unprecedented rise in food prices, he said. Nor was there any step to ensure food security and strengthen the Public Distribution System. Instead, there were distinct signs of “more and more privatisation.”
Dissatisfying: Trinamool
The increase in duties on petrol and diesel drew criticism from the Trinamool Congress as well. “Since we have always been with the people, we find the proposal to impose additional taxes on petroleum which will result in price rise dissatisfying,” said Partha Chatterjee, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and senior Trinamool Congress leader.
Terming the budget “anti-people and pro-inflationary,” the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party said it would observe Saturday as a black day and take out marches across the State. In a statement, the party said: “The budget is directionless and insensitive to the problems of the poor.”
