People's Democracy

DEPRIVED of a rail line and therefore totally dependent on road transport, Tripura registered its vehement protest on June 21 against the run-away hike in the prices of petroleum products through a 12-hour total transport strike in the private sector. The strike, jointly called by the CITU-affiliated Tripura Motor Shramik Union and the Tripura Auto-Rickshaw Workers Union, was to press the demand for immediate revocation of the hikes announced by the central government last month. These hikes are sure to cause havoc to the entire road transport sector that is so crucial to the survival of this backward, landlocked state.

The two unions separately carried out vigorous campaigns on the strike day statewide, from morning till night. Huge marches and meetings were organised in support of the strike. A joint statement by the two unions said the entire road communication sector of this rail-deprived remote north-eastern state is on the brink of a breakdown due to the series of sharp hikes in the prices of petroleum products. Besides the grim protest of joblessness among transport workers, the entire economy of this backward state will also get affected.

Through separate statements, the CITU and the Truck Drivers Syndicate of Tripura expressed their solid support for the strike. The CITU statement lashed out at the series of anti-people steps being taken by the BJP-led NDA government, hitting the common people hard. The CITU statement expressed grave concern that the people of road-dependent Tripura will be hit still more because of the consequent hikes in the prices of all commodities.

Chief minister Manik Sarkar too vehemently condemned the centre for scrapping the administered pricing mechanism (APM) in case of petroleum products. He demanded that in view of the backwardness and geographical remoteness of the north-eastern states including Tripura, this region be relieved of the pressure of price-hike. (INN)