Protesting the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices, the Left parties took out rallies and staged demonstrations in several parts of Karnataka Tuesday.

The protests were led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Communist Party of India (CPI).

Symbolising the hardships faced by the common man, a procession had bullock carts with two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws mounted on them, and was led to the Town Hall.

Hundreds of protestors marched on foot and rode to the venue on bicycles, carrying red flags and banners. They shouted slogans against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre and demanded immediate rollback of fuel prices.

Processions and demonstrations were also taken out in other cities and towns across the state including Mysore, Tumkur, Kolar, Udupi, Bijapur and Kundapur police said.

"We want the government to roll back the prices, as any increase in petro products will only push inflation up and make everything costly for the common man. Since the recent hike, the cost of essential goods and transportation has already gone up in the state," state CPI-M spokesman J.N. Nagaraj said.

Threatening to continue the agitation till justice was met, Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leader Prabhakar told the protestors that the government should reduce the excise and other taxes on petrol and diesel instead of punishing people with a hike in fuel prices at regular intervals.

"In Karnataka, petrol and diesel are priced highest in the country, with excise duty, sales tax and other charges, including dealer commission accounting for 33 percent of the total cost per litre.

For instance in Bangalore, a litre of petrol is priced at Rs.47.32 because excise, sales tax and other charges account for Rs.27.68. In Hubli, it is Rs.48.40, which must be the highest in the country. Similarly, the cost of one litre diesel is Rs.33.03," Prabhakar revealed.

Besides the two percent education cess by the central government, the state government levies Re.1 on each litre of petrol towards metro cess for the proposed mass rapid transit system in Bangalore, making the fuel the costliest in India.

According to the oil companies, the consumption of petrol in Bangalore is estimated to be about 800,000 litres per day and about two million per day in the entire state.