Left slams Govt, protests against rising prices

New Delhi: The United progressive Alliance Government has been facing the heat from the Opposition in Parliament over the price rise issue.

Slamming the Government for failing to contain rising prices Left leaders on Friday demanded a white paper on price hike in the Lok Sabha.

They wanted the Government to spell out its strategy to curb the ever rising prices of essential commodities.

Earlier, leaders from all four left parties - Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Forward Block protested outside Parliament.

They are likely to bring a Cut Motion of the Finance Bill after the Government refused to roll back the increase in excise duty on petroleum products announced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Union Budget 2010-11.

The Left leaders also organised a protest march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament building.

In the Rajya Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party's Arun Jaitley led the charge criticising the Budget which according to him would accelerate the inflation.

"The price continues to rise of all essential commodities. The Budget does not act to contain inflation but only goes away from inflation. Earlier also there has been drought but today despite the double the buffer stock available prices of essential commodities continue to rise," said Jaitley.