Chennai: CPI (M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan on Monday accused the Narendra Modi government of serving only the interest of corporate sectors while neglecting the common man.

Addressing a demonstration in front of the collectroate here condemning the price hike of petrol and diesel, he said that union government has extended a tax relief of Rs 6 lakh crore for the corporation.

At same time, the Modi government has cut funds for the welfare schemes including anganwadi, health and education sector, he said, pointing to the phenomenal reduction in the sub plan allocation for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

The middle class who supported the Modi are slowly realising their blunder, he noted. Condemning the petrol and diesel price hike, he said that after the BJP government came to power, the crude oil price has gone down by 50 per cent.

However, the retail price of the petrol and diesel was not reduced correspondingly but the centre increased the excise duty to mop up its revenue, he said.