Countrywide Protests against Price Rise and Unemployment
Five Left Parties conducted a countrywide campaign in response to the nationwide call against back-breaking inflation, rising unemployment, cancellation of ration cards, Bulldozer Raj and skyrocketing prices of petroleum products between 25-31 May.
The week-long campaign highlighted the demands to roll back all surcharges/cess on petroleum products, to restore wheat supplies through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and to strengthen the PDS by distributing all essential commodities particularly, pulses and edible oil, direct cash transfer to Rs. 7,500 per month to all non-Income Tax paying families, increase in MGNREGS allocation and a central legislation for unemployment allowance, an employment guarantee scheme for urban areas, and to fill up all posts lying vacant in government departments.
The protests were held in all the districts up to local levels jointly by CPIML, CPI, CPIM, RSP and Forward Bloc against the rising prices which are imposing unprecedented burdens on the people resulting in increased suffering of common masses pushing them further deeper into poverty with growing hunger pangs. Coming on top of unprecedented and growing levels of unemployment, this is compounding people’s miseries. The left leaders said in a joint statement that “over the last year the prices of petroleum products have increased by 70 per cent, vegetables by 20 per cent, cooking oil by 23 per cent and cereals by 8 per cent. Wheat flour, the staple diet of crores of Indians, is seeing a price rise of over 14 per cent, making it unaffordable. Wheat procurement has declined. Central government has procured less than half of last year. The continuous hike in prices of petroleum products and cooking gas cylinders and the acute shortage of wheat is propelling this overall inflation.”
In Bihar, dharnas and protest meetings were organized at various places over the above mentioned demands and also demanding a law for unemployment allowance, no eviction of poor without alternative arrangements, no repeal of ration cards, and 200 units free electricity for all consumers.
A joint Left protest was organized at Kargil Chowk in Patna led by Abhyuday, Manoj Chandravanshi, Ramlala Singh, Dhirendra Jha, Meena Tiwari, KD Yadav, MLA Gopal Ravidas, Shashi Yadav, Saroj Chaube and others.
Protests were also organized at Jehanabad, Darbhanga, Araria, Nawada, Aurangabad, Madhepura, Gaya, Nalanda, Western Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Sitamarhi, Arwal, Buxar, Purnea, Siwan, Bhojpur, Beguserai and other Districts.
The Left leaders addressing the protests said that the Modi government should stop fooling the people by pretending to cut petrol-diesel prices. They pointed out that the cut in petrol-diesel prices is nominal whereas they had been hiked consistently under the excuse of the Russia-Ukraine war. Our demand is that petrol-diesel prices should be brought back to the old level. There should be no tax levied on them, and the government should tax corporate companies to meet any deficit.
The common people, already burdened by the pandemic and lockdown, are facing great hardships due to skyrocketing prices, while at the same time government policies and decisions are directing attacks on the Right to Food. In Bihar, 28.79 lakh ration cards have been cancelled. The government must repeal this at once and guarantee a special package for food and other needful items for the people. Electricity, children's education, and day to day living expenses are breaking the back of the common people while corporate wealth is growing by leaps and bounds. The Modi government is trying to divert people's issues through the agenda of communal hatred and poison.
In Jharkhand, protests demonstrations and other programmes were held in many places throughout the campaign week. In Ranchi a CPIML protest was organised on May 31 and a march was held from Shaheed Chowk to the Raj Bhawan. Pamphlets were also distributed in the city during the week.
On the last day of the campaign a mass sit-in was held on Rani Rasmoni Road in Kolkata from 3 pm to 6.30 pm at the call of the Left parties. CPIML activists also held a march from Victoria House to participate in the sit-in. Party’s Polit Bureau member comrade Kartik Pal addressed the joint protest. A torchlight procession was also held on the day. Similar protests were held in all other towns in West Bengal. In Cooch Behar CPIML leader Biplob Das addressed the protesters.
CPIML also held a torch light procession against price rise in Belgharia on 30 May.
On 26 May the Left parties protested in Siliguri where CPIML WB State Secretary Abhijit Majumder along with CPM leader Saman Pathak and other leaders addressed the gathering.
In Mumbai, Aurangabad and various other districts in Maharashtra protest demonstrations against inflation were organised. Protests were also held in districts of Assam. A joint protest program was organised at Tinsukia traffic police point on the last day on the protest week.
The CPIML held a dharna at the sub-collector's office in Tenali in Andhra Pradesh and submitted a memorandum to the sub-collector which also included demands for the reduction in increased electricity tariffs and house tax.
Chhattisgarh also witnessed protest demonstrations against the skyrocketing prices in many places including in Bhilai where on 26 May a demonstration was held at JP Chowk where left leaders criticized Modi government for the imposed hike in all essential commodities. The protest here was addressed by CPIML leader Brijendra Tiwari and other leaders.
Left parties organised protest programmes in different parts of national capital Delhi throughout the week.
