The Hindu : National : Trinamool, SUCI call bandh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 05, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Trinamool, SUCI call bandh

Special Correspondent

Centre, State government failed to curb prices: Mamata

Trinamool, SUCI leaders court arrest
Biman Bose won’t comment on bandh call

KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) have called a 12-hour West Bengal bandh for April 21 to protest against the “failure” of the Central and State governments to check price rise.

The Trinamool and the SUCI recently forged an alliance and announced a joint movement against the ruling Left Front.

Common man burdened

“The State and the Centre have failed to initiate any action despite all the anti-price rise programmes we launched,” Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said here on Friday.

“It appears they are sleeping over such a vital issue of rise in prices of essential commodities in total disregard of the burden faced by the common people. It is unfortunate, but we are calling a bandh out of our concern to the people,” she said.

Earlier, Ms. Banerjee, along with other leaders of her party and those of the SUCI, led a procession in protest against the “anti-people” policies of the Central and State governments. She alleged that the Centre was indifferent to the rising inflation and escalating prices.

The leaders then courted arrested for violating prohibitory orders promulgated under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Biman Bose, secretary of the State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is planning a nation-wide stir against price rise, refused to comment on the bandh call.

CPI (M) call to Centre

He, however, reiterated that the Centre should take immediate steps to bring down the inflation rate and arrest price rise by amending the Essential Commodities Act, and initiate sterner measures to prevent hoarding and black marketing.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National