HYDERABAD, May 27: CPI general secretary A B Bardhan on Monday said the Left parties are firm on opposing the hike in oil prices when the issue comes up at the United Front's steering committee meeting next month's steering committee meeting.

Speaking to newsmen here, Bardhan said the Centre should consider various measures suggested by Left parties like reducing the customs duty and returning the Rs 4,000 crore taken from the oil pool, instead of finding an easy way out (increasing the oil prices).

``We have also suggested that the duty on luxury cars be increased and the price of natural gas used in the industrial sector be hiked, but the union finance minister brushed aside all these suggestions and is advocating a hike,'' he said.

Bardhan did not agree with finance minister P Chidambaram's argument that it was not proper to revise the customs duty after the finance bill was passed. ``It is not a correct argument. We can certainly bring an amendment to reduce customs duty.''

He said the other ground on which Chidambaram was opposing the revision of customs duty was that it would result in shortfall of revenues.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.