Massive Dharna Against Price Rise, Corruption by Left , Non-NDA Non-UPA Parties

Nine secular democratic non-NDA and non-UPA opposition parties organised a protest rally-cum-dharna against rising food prices and corruption at Parliament Street in the Capital on February 9, 2011. The nine parties came together on a common platform to wage a united fight against corruption and rising inflation.Thousands of workers belonging to CPI(M), CPI, AIFB, RSP, AIADMK, TDP, JD(S), RLD and BJD staged a sit-in near the Parliament Street Police station shouting anti-government slogans and demanding urgent steps to curb rising prices and to end rampant corruption at high levels. The protesters displayed placards, held banners and buntings lampooning the UPA government for not controlling and checking the twin issues of corruption and price rise. Prominent leaders who addressed the huge gathering were CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, All India Forward Bloc general secretary Debabrata Biswas, RSP general secretary Abani Roy, AIADMK member of Parliament Thambithurai, TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu, former Prime Minister and JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda, Ajit Singh and Jayant Choudhary both president and secretary respectively of RLD. Several other leaders, who participated include CPI Rajya Sabha member D Raja, CPI national council secretary Amerjeet Kaur, CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechuri and Brinda Karat. Speakers after speakers reiterated their demand for the JPC probe into the 2G Spectrum scam. They also demanded a proper investigation into various other scams.
The ‘wrong policies’ of the UPA were responsible for the rise in food prices, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said while accusing the government of weakening the PDS. Karat said prices of food items had soared considerably. “Prices of all food items have skyrocketed. The wrong policies of the government are responsible for this,” and added further, “the price of petrol had gone up seven times since June last year.” No steps have been taken by the government to arrest the price rise or to stop corruption by their own people. Unorganised workers lack food security and the proposed bill for food security has been thrown to dustbins. “No steps are being taken to stop speculative trading. In whose interest is the UPA government functioning?” he asked. He said the PDS should have been strengthened and rice, wheat, sugar and other items should be made available at reasonable price. “The government has weakened PDS,” he alleged.