Left parties take to Delhi streets

Indian activists of the ruling Congress Party burn an effigy of the Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadev Bhattacharya as they demand a reduction of the state taxes on fuel prices in Kolkata yesterday. A sharp hike in Indian fuel prices sparked uproar against the government as both its communist allies and the main opposition Hindu nationalist party vowed nationwide protests against the ruling coalition. PHOTO: AFP

CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, his CPI counterpart AB Bardhan, Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Abani Roy and Forward Bloc's Debabrata Biswas were arrested for violating orders after leading a major demonstration against fuel price hike at Jantar Mantar in downtown Delhi.

Addressing a joint meeting of activists of Left parties, the Left leaders termed as "unjustifiable" the hike in prices of diesel and petrol and asked the government to reduce customs and excise duties on fuel rather than passing the burden of international crude price hike on commoners.

They said had the government listened to the Left's suggestion for alternative ways to cushion the impact of international fuel price rise, the burden would not have come on the commoners.

In Kerala, ruled by the Left parties which came to power in assembly elections last month, a dawn-to-dusk general strike called by pro-Left trade unions against the hike in the price of petrol and diesel paralysed normal life. The strike is being held as part of the Left trade unions' nationwide agitation against the hike.

The strike was almost like a 'bandh' with shops and business establishments remained closed in all parts of the state and vehicles kept off the roads as the Private Bus Operators' Federation and transport unions joined the strike.