The CPI on Saturday organized protests in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States against price hike of petrol and diesel oil. The party activists, led by Telangana State CPI president Chada Venkata Reddy organized a dharnas at various places in the Telugu States and torched effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking on the occasion, Venkata Reddy charged the Centre with steeply increasing prices of petrol and diesel as per its whims and fancies. Criticizing the functioning of Modi government, the CPI leader alleged that it was protecting the interests of corporate people and not poor. He demanded that the TRS government to cut down VAT rates on petrol and diesel in the State.
Chada said the government was increasing prices of petrol and diesel whenever its prices were going up in the international market. But the hike in petroleum fuels would leave big impact on the common man in the form of price rice of essential commodities, he said. He made it clear that his party would continue its protests till the Central government roll back the price hike of the petroleum products.
Stating that the BJP-led NDA government revealed its true colors by hiking the fuel prices by Rs 8 on petrol and Rs 6 on diesel in a single month, the protestors burned an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Himayat Nagar and Basheerbagh crossroads.
Similarly, the Vijayawada town CPI-M workers took out a big rally at Besant Road and raised slogans against the TDP and BJP governments and torched effigies of the Central government. Bemoaning that ruling parties’ leaders were not bothering about the problems of the people, the leaders asked as to why the prices of essential commodities were being increased at their will.
The Left parties also organized protest rallies against the steep hike in petroleum fuel prices in Khammam district. Later, the protestors burned an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Pavilion Maidan. Accusing the Modi government with helping the corporate bodies, the protestors declared that they would continue to take to streets till the government roll back the increased rates of petroleum products.
A large number of Left parties activists joined the protests and exhibited their ire against the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel. (NSS)