CPI(M) stages protest march against price rise in Assam

Protesting against the steep rise in the prices of essential commodities and demanding food security for the people, the Communist Party of India (M) today carried out a ‘Raj Bhawan Abhiyan’ in Guwahati

The protesters took out a protest march from Guwahati Club to Raj Bhawan shouting slogans against the soaring prices of essential commodities. The programme was conducted by the Kamrup Mahanagar Zila Samity of the CPI (M). Protest meetings and rallies are being conducted by the CPI (M) in various places of the country as a part of the nationwide programme to pressurise the government to take immediate action to control price rise and ensure food security for the people. With the same demands, four left parties staged dharna in the Ramlila Maidan at New Delhi from July 30 to August 3.

“In Assam also the CPI (M) is leading the protest programmes at various places. District-level rallies have been organised in the past two months demanding the government to arrest price rise,” said Tiken Das, secretary of Kamrup Metro District Committee of the party. After a protest march, a meeting was also held in front of the Raj Bhawan today which was addressed by the party’s State secretary Uddhav Barman and senior leader Hemen Das. 

The leaders demanded control over the increasing prices and the universalisation of the Public Distribution System in the country. “We have been demanding the government to provide every family with 35 kg rice monthly at the rate of Rs 2. Moreover, government should take strict action against deep-rooted corruption in the entire PDS system. Supply of item in the fair price shops is also inadequate, which should be increased,” Das added.
Targeting the government over the issue of corruption, the party in its memorandum to the Governor said that the black money worth around Rs 25 lakh crore, stashed away in other countries should be brought back to India. 

Also raising the issue of flood and erosion, the protesters said that concrete steps should be taken to address the perennial problems and the flood-hit people should be rehabilitated without delay. The party also demanded a high-level enquiry into the issue of group clashes in BTAD area and asked the government to address the issue of law and order on priority basis. 

“The Assam government has measurably failed to maintain law and order in the State including the capital city Guwahati. Various major incidents in past couple of months indicate that law and order should be strengthened. The government should also establish rule of law in the BTAD area and ensure peace and harmony,” Das added. 

Earlier also, the district unit of CPI (M) conducted protest programmes in Basistha, Narengi, Boragaon and Maligaon in the city. 

On September 12, the party would resort to a nationwide civil disobedience movement against price rise and for food security.