Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 01 2010:
Taking serious note of the scarcity of various essential commodities and multiple-fold increase in their prices, which have refused to come down even after the highway blockades have been lifted and transportation of goods from outside the State already started, the CPI Manipur State Council has decided to stage various forms of agitation from July 3 to July 5 in association with civil organisations.
Addressing media persons on the planned agitation against the serious crisis caused by sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, secretary of the CPI Manipur State Council L Iboyaima said that the protest agitation would commence with a protest meeting at Major Khul community hall.
The meeting will deliberate on the artificial crisis of scarcity of goods and multi-fold price hike, Iboyaima said.
On July 4, the second day of the protest movement, a large number of womenfolk would take out a protest rally across the main roads of Imphal city against the sky-high prices of goods which have refused to come down even after the blockades have been lifted.
The CPI Manipur State Council will join other Left parties across the country and stage hartal (cease-work) from 6 am to 6 pm of July 5, Iboyaima elaborated.
To ensure that the cease-work protest demonstration is staged successfully, a movement committee has been constituted with L Sotinkumar as chairman.
The cease work protest demonstration would be participated by members of trade unions, drivers, vendors, shop-keepers, labourers, employees and rickshaw pullers.
Even staff of banks and airport would join the cease work, Iboyaima said.
The failure of the Government to provide essential goods and other items to the public at appropriate prices even after these goods have been brought in following suspension of blockade has been sustaining a serious crisis in the State.
The party has taken the issue at different forum but there has been no improvement in the situation.
This has compelled CPI to launch a mass protest movement, Iboyaima asserted.
The proposed protest demonstration would be staged by putting in front such demands and grievances as hoarding of goods for earning undue profit, provision of diesel and fertilizers to farmers at appropriate prices, deployment of National Highway Protection Force and transportation of goods to Manipur on war footing, curbing collection of illegal taxes along highways and hiking prices of petroleum products by the UPA Government, Iboyaima added.