Kolkata: The ruling Left Front today (August 4, 2004) charged the Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government at the Centre with not being transparent in fixing petroleum product prices and said it would take out protest rallies across West Bengal on August 8, 2004.

''We want transparency in fixation of oil prices by the Centre, particularly when prices have been hiked at least twice in a short span of time,'' Front Chairman Biman Bose told reporters at the end of a Left Front meeting.

Stating that the Left parties would take out protest rallies statewide on August 8, 2004, he said the Centre had dealt the vital issue of price fixing of petroleum products shabbily.

Bose said the UPA Government should ensure that there was transparency in announcing the cost involved in refining crude oil. ''If necessary, import and excise duty on petroleum products should be reduced,'' the Front chairman said.

He alleged that the Government was not applying his mind in fixing prices of petroleum products. This kind of shabby treatment should not be given in the interest of running the Government at the Centre, he added.