Mamata Banerjee said the "cruel hikes" in prices have "brought great distress" to people. (FILE)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday wrote to Prime Minister over the rising fuel prices in the country. She said the "cruel hikes" in prices have "brought great distress" to the people, noting the prices of petrol and diesel were "hiked eight times since May", of which six times were in June alone.
"Shockingly, the retail price of petrol in many states across the county has crossed an unprecedented Rs 100 per litre," she wrote in the letter, seeking a substantial reduction in the prices of petrol and diesel "to give much-needed relief to people and check the overall inflation trend in the country".
Ms Banerjee's letter came on a day when the price of petrol breached Rs 100-mark in 19 districts in Bengal and in Kolkata, it hit Rs 99.84 a litre.
The Chief Minister also hit out at the central government for constantly increasing the cess component of the tax revenue which denies the states their legitimate share of "42% of tax collected by the Government of India".
"Desist from the anti-federalist trend developed in the last few years," she urged in the letter.
Linking the fuel price hike to overall inflation in the country, the Trinamool supremo said, "such major inflation in prices reduces the real income of the common people". She also claimed that the tax collection by the Centre has jumped by a staggering 370 per cent since 2014-15.
The Trinamool Congress will hold protests in every block in Bengal on July 10 and 11 from 10 AM to 4 PM against the fuel price hike.
"The protests will be held as per Covid limits," the party said.