Trade Unions protest petrol price hike
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, May 24 2012: The trade unions and Left parties staged a protest rally in Imphal objecting the sudden steep rise in petrol price in the country.

The protest rally was staged by the Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Students' Federation (AISF), Manipur Nupi Lup, Labour Union and All Manipur Drivers Union.

The rally started from Majorkhul community hall and proceeded towards the two markets of Imphal till the CPI office with placards carried by the people taking part in the rally protesting the sudden increase in petrol price.

"The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre has launched a liberal economic policy which has increased the prices of essential commodities and it is clear that the UPA government is trying to kill the poor common people of India while making the rich people richer", said Sotinkumar, the general secretary of the trade union, on the sideline of the rally.

The hike in the price of petrol is going to affect the poor farmers indirectly as now they have to spend more money on hiring and using agricultural machineries, Sotinkumar said, and demanded to review the price hike immediately or there will be more extreme forms of agitations in the future.

The ex MLA of Kumbi A/C, N.Mangi said that the UPF government at the Centre has now become anti-people, as they have unilaterally taken the decision to increase the price petrol by Rs.7.50 without discussing the matter with the other MPs, and questioned how the IOC can increase the price of petrol without the permission of the government in the Centre.

With this steep and sudden hike of Rs.7.50, the price of petrol in Imphal now is Rs.72.10, Delhi Rs.73.14, Mumbai Rs.78.16, Kolkota Rs.77.53, and Chennai Rs.77.05 per litre.

The protest rally in Imphal today might have been a result of what the general secretary of CPI-M, Prakash Karat said on Wednesday: "It is a cruel blow on people who are already suffering from severe price rise.

The Left parties have called upon all part units to immediately organize powerful protest actions" .

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