VISAKAHAPATNAM: Opposition parties gave a call to observe bandh on Friday to protest the steep hike in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG even as some organisations and parties continued with protest demonstrations and road blockades on Thursday.

The Opposition parties gave the call for a State-wide bandh on Friday on Wednesday.

Secretaries of CPI (M) and CPI Ch. Narasinga Rao and A.J. Stalin respectively issued a joint request to the trades associations, cinema halls, educational institutions and others to observe bandh. Essential commodities and services were exempted from the bandh.

They said the prices of all commodities and other goods would increase due to hike in prices of petrol and diesel, putting more burden on the common man.

President of urban unit of Telugu Desam C.M.A. Zaheer Ahmed issued a statement calling upon the trade and people to make the bandh a success.

The Telugu Desam urban unit president criticised the UPA Government at the Centre for going back on its promise that it would not increase prices. Price of petrol and diesel was increased eight times since the UPA came to power, he said.

Dr. Zaheer Ahmed wanted the APSRTC to withdraw its services.

The Visakha Dolphin Boat Operators Welfare Association said the hike in price of diesel was a big blow to the fishing industry which was already in the red. The hike came at a time when the operators were getting ready to resuming fishing on June 15 after the ban period ended. Each boat would face an additional expenditure of Rs.15,000 a month due to hike in diesel price, which the operators were considering as a loss suffered even before they started a voyage, said association’s general secretary Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy. This meant Rs. 6 crores additional burden on the 400 boats operating from Visakhapatnam.

The association wanted the State and Central Governments to immediately withdraw the price hike.

The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Trade Unions demanded the Centre to rollback the hike. Its joint secretary Ganesh Panda wanted continuous struggle to be launched till the Government withdrew the hike.

CPI (ML-New Democracy), CPI (ML-Liberation) and MCPI organised a joint dharna in front of the Collectorate in protest against the price hike on Thursday.

CPI (M), CITU, AICTU and other organisations organised rasta rokos and other protests in different parts of the city.

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