Daijiworld News Network- Mangalore (AF) - pics - Dayanand Kukkaje
                                                  
Mangalore, Jun 8: The CPI (M) and BJP activists held protests here on Wednesday June 7 protesting against the government's move to increase the fuel prices.

While both the BJP and CPI (M) blamed the Centre, BJP also criticised the Left parties for the hike. The BJP held a protest march through the city pulling an autorickshaw symbolically and accused the Left for harbouring double standards in defending the Centre while at the same time protesting against the government's decision. 

The CPI (M) held a meeting in front of the deputy commissioner's office here. K R Sriyan, CPM district secretary said the fuel prices need not have been hiked if custom and excise duties had been slashed. In the international market a litre of petrol costs only Rs 20, but with additional duties and cess levied by the government, the cost is much higher, said CPI (M) state committee member B Madhava.

Messrs Ramachandra Uchil, Balakrishna Shetty, Vasanta Achar, Abraham Karkada and others participated in the protest.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the city Bus Owners' Association was held here on Wednesday June 7, wherein it was decided that there would be a hike of 20 per cent in bus fares to meet the increase in fuel prices. A final decision on the matter would be taken at the meeting of Bus Owners' Association of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on Monday June 12 here.