Former Petroleum Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Naik on Wednesday flayed the Congress-led government for raising the LPG prices, saying the burden on the common man could have been avoided by cutting duties.

"Dr Manmohan Singh government's first assurance that it will not allow petrol prices to be increased has been belied. The increase in LPG prices has added to the woes of the consumers," Naik told PTI from Mumbai.

• Petrol dearer by Rs 2; LPG to cost Rs 20 more

The government on Tuesday raised petrol prices by Rs 2 per litre, diesel by Re 1 per litre and LPG by Rs 20 per cylinder.

"We in the Vajpayee government had insulated LPG consumers from any price increase for two years. The finance ministry could have helped by reducing excise and import duty by 2 per cent without loss of revenue. This was done by the Vajpayee government earlier also," he added.