The Udupi taluk unit of Communist Party of India (Marxist) took out a protest rally from Service Bus Stand to the taluk office here on Monday against the hike in the prices of petroleum products effected by the Union Government.

In a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submitted at the Tahsildars Office here, the party said that the Union Government had used the increase in prices of crude oil in the international market as an excuse to rise the prices of petroleum products in the country.

The Centre had increased the price of petrol by Rs five a litre, diesel Rs three a litre, and LPG Rs 50 a cylinder. This hike had hit the common man hard. The Left parties had suggested to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to reduce excise and customs duties on petroleum products, but it did not respond.

It should rollback the fuel price hike, the party said. The Centre had appealed to the States to reduce sales tax on petroleum products for which a few State Governments such as West Bengal and Kerala responded.

However, the Government of Karnataka was dillydallying on the issue. The State Government should reduce the sales tax, the memorandum said.