Govt decision on fuel hike consolidates Opp
The government’s decision to hike fuel prices is consolidating Opposition parties, which hit the streets in many states enforcing strikes in Kerala, Orissa and West Bengal. While the ruling Congress is on the defensive, its allies at the Centre are refusing to defend the decision.
In Kerala, a ruling LDF-sponsored dawn-to-dusk strike crippled normal life but passed off without any major untoward incident. Shops, business establishments and schools were closed and vehicles went off the roads. Only a few private vehicles and two-wheelers plied on the roads.
All Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh took to the streets protesting the steep hike in petrol prices and organised rallies even as chief minister K. Rosaiah said the government would take a decision on July 1 on reducing the impact of the hike.
In Mumbai, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde led an agitation of party workers protesting the price hike. The BJP also staged protests in Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh.
In Orissa, the BJD, the BJP, the NCP and the CPI members sought a resolution on the price hike in the Assembly.
Protest demonstrations, including effigy burning, were also held across Gujarat and Karnataka. In Bihar, BJP leader submitted a memorandum to the governor against price rise. The BJP Mahila Morcha led the protests in Madhya Pradesh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party hit the streets in Uttar Pradesh to protest the hike, prompting police to use water canons to disperse the protesters. In Lucknow, party MP Lalji Tandon alleged that by deregulating the prices of petroleum products the Centre had passed the control of essential commodities into the hands of private companies.
After a dharna, party leaders and workers attempted to march towards Vidhan Bhavan to protest against price rise, but were intercepted by police personnel. Agitated party workers attempted to break the cordon and march towards the Vidhan Bhavan, forcing the police to use water canons.
In Allahabad too, hundreds of BJP workers led by senior leader Keshrinath Tripathi staged a demonstration and courted arrest.
In Tripura, the ruling Left Front called a dawn-to- dusk bandh on Monday to protest the hike in prices of petroleum products.
In New Delhi, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said, “There must have been certain compulsions. No government wants to become unpopular.”
The remarks of Mr Dwivedi came soon after the JD(U) urged the entire Opposition to join hands for a “Bharat bandh” on the issue of fuel price hike.
The Congress is closely watching the situation, especially its reaction among the middle and the lower middle class. People are protesting but if it continues and takes a different turn, then the Congress cannot afford to remain silent.
The Trinamul Congress and the DMK would have to face the anger of the people in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu if the agitation against the price rise gets intensified. Moreover, this has provided the issue to the Left and the AIADMK in these states going to the polls next year.
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