Protests over fuel price hike

There was a huge protest over the hike in the price of petroleum products across the district. At Sangareddy, the CPM leaders led by party district general secretary Ch. Ramulu held a protest on the main road by pulling a car with ropes. Later, an effigy of the Union government was burnt

Protesting the hike in the prices of petroleum products, the activists of CPI (M) burnt the effigy of the Union government at Telangana crossroads in Mahaboobnagar. Several speakers including Kille Gopal, district Secretary of the party, criticised the UPA government for increasing the prices of petroleum products once again. They said that common people were already facing much hardships in purchasing the essential commodities and the latest increase will add fuel to the fire. They demanded the government to roll back the prices immediately. 

 Incensed over the reported decision of the Central government to hike the prices of fuel, kerosene and cooking gas, the activists of  CPI (M) organised protest demonstrations in the Nalgonda Town. The CPI (M) activists, led by the party district secretary N Narasimha Reddy, staged a novel demonstration with empty LPG cylinders from the party office to the clock tower centre in a symbolic protest against the price hike.  Activists of CPI(M) staged dharnas and burnt effigies at different places in Rajahmundry and Kakinada on Friday evening protesting against hike in prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and cooking gas by the Centre.

CPI((M) workers staged dharna at Bhanugudi Centre in Kakinada and Nandam Ganiraju Centre in Rajahmundry. They burnt an effigy of the Union Government and raised slogans against the Petroleum Minister and the Central Government. CPI(M) leaders said the UPA government had miserably failed in keeping its election promises and chose to levy heavy burden on lower and middle class people by hiking prices of fuel. It also failed to check spiralling prices of essential commodities. They said even vegetables, pulses, sugar, tea powder were not in the reach of common man.

CPI (M) leaders took out a rally and burnt an effigy of the government at Raghavaiah park on Bandar road in Vijayawada. They said that instead of providing relief to the common man, the UPA government was hell bent on taking the prices of petrol and diesel to new heights, “which clearly shows their anti-people policy.” The move will have far-reaching effect on common man's life. Stating that the hike in the prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG would have impact on the prices of essential commodities already ruling high, the CPI (M) city committee took out a protest rally on Friday evening.

The hike was the fourth since the UPA came to power for the second time and the 18 th in the last six years, CPI (M) Visakhapatnam district secretary Ch. Narsinga Rao said addressing the rally. He accused the government of not taking any alternative measures suggested by the CPI (M) and toeing the line of the oil companies. Reducing the quota of kerosene and increasing the price was a big burden, he added. The Left parties will launch a State-wide protest on Monday. CPI (M) city secretary K. Lokanadham and party leaders B. Ganga Rao, M.Jaggu Naidu, V.S. Padmanabha Raju, R. Bhagyalakshmi and Araku Valley ZPTC Killo Surendra participated.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)