People's Democracy

PROTEST IN PUNJAB

RALLIES and demonstrations were held all over Punjab at the joint call of the CPI and CPI(M), in protest against the recent hike in  the prices of petrol by Rs 5 per litre. Over ten thousand people took part in these protest rallies.

These protest rallies took place at various places in the districts of Sangrur, Patiala, Amritsar, Ropar, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Bhatinda, Mansa, Muktsar,  Firozpur and Faridkot. CPI(M) state secretary Charan Singh Virdi, its state secretariat members like Lehambar Singh Taggar, Raghunath Singh, Vijay Misra,  Gurmesh Singh, Bant Namol, Gurmit Singh Dhada and Bhoop Chand Channo, CPI national executive member Dr  Joginder Dayal, its state secretary Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal and its state executive members Bant Barar, Gurnam Kanwar and Hardev Arshi addressed these rallies, strongly condemning the hike in the price of petrol and the threats of a hike in the prices of  diesel and LPG.

The leaders of the Left parties told that the increase in the cost of petroleum products are not due to any increase in the price of crude oil in the international market, as the UPA government is trying to make us believe, but because of the irrational tax policy of the central government. They said the increase in the prices of petroleum products would further propel the prices of essential commodities upward and add to the miseries of the amm adami.

The protest rallies therefore demanded immediate rollback of the hike in the petrol prices of petrol.