People's Democracy

Left Warns Of All India Protest On Petro Price Hike

THE first full-fledged meeting of the Left parties after the recent assembly elections, gave the clarion call for immediate protest actions against the proposed hike in price of petrol and diesel. This would be followed by an all India protest day in coordination with non-Congress and non-BJP parties with whom the Left was in touch.

This was announced by the CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat along with A B Bardhan, D Raja (CPI), Abani Roy (RSP), and Debabrata Biswas,  Devrajan (AIFB), at a press conference held at the CPI(M) headquarters on June 1, 2006.

"If the government announces a hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, which is likely next week, then the Left parties and other organisations will come out spontaneously to oppose the move. "We will contact other political parties and give a joint call for a nationwide protest action including a general strike," CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, told reporters after a 90-minute meeting of the four Left parties.

Maintaining that this would be the fifth time the UPA government would resort to hiking petroleum product prices, he said the Left has made out "a strong and effective case" against such increases and suggested a review of the taxation of petroleum products, including reducing customs and excise duties.

However, the government has not paid heed to these suggestions and burdening the "already over-burdened people" due to rise in prices of essential commodities, said Karat.

On the issue of Office of Profit bill, Karat made the stand of the Left parties clear thus: “We do not want the election commission to be drawn into the issue of offices of profit bill. The parliament passed the bill and sent it to the president; the president sent it back - and it would be now discussed in the monsoon session of parliament". 

On the two years of UPA government he indicated the Left would prepare a note on areas of concern to be placed before the UPA-Left coordination committee. (INN)