CPI to launch stir against price rise

Imphal Free Press today reported :
IMPHAL, July 1: The Communist Party of India (CPI), Manipur State Council, is all set to launch stern agitations against price rise of petroleum products and other essential commodities as a part of the nation wide demonstrations to be carried out from July 3.
Addressing a press conference this afternoon at Irawat Bhawan, state secretary of CPI Manipur State Council, L. Iboyaima stated the party stands for the welfare of the common people and hence it opposes those policies of the government which are anti-people in nature. The recent price hike of petroleum products in the country is a wrong policy of the UPA government which considers only for the welfare of the capitalists, he said.
The government has failed to address the grievances of the poor people who have suffered a lot at the hands of the capitalist forces. The workers and farmers all over the country would join hands to protest the price hike of petroleum products which are used as essential commodities in all sectors, Iboyaima noted.
He also said that the Centre as well as the state government should look into the matter of acute shortage of commodities and its subsequent problem of extreme price rise in Manipur in the aftermath of months long economic blockade imposed along the two national highways. The people of Manipur are facing lots of problems due to acute shortage of food, petroleum and other essential commodities, he observed.
Senior communist leader, L. Sotinkumar maintained that the faulty policies of the state government have aggravated the problems of the people. The Centre as well as the state government should take up effective measures to ensure safety along the national highways. The highway protection force should be deployed along the national highways inorder to curtail the activities of various UG groups which have been collecting illegal taxes from the people of the state, he enjoined.
He also demanded the state government to ensure availability of adequate amount of fertilizers and diesel to the farmers so that the agricultural practices in the state are not hampered.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohon Singh had written a letter to the general secretary of CPI, AB Bardhan, on June 20 regarding the steps taken up the Central and state government to resolve the blockade issue of Manipur and subsequent shortage of essential commodities in the state.
The CPI, Manipur State Council, will be organizing a public meeting on price rise on July 3 at Majorkhul Community Hall, mass rally for women on July 4 and hartal on July 5 as a part of the nation wide protests against price hike of petroleum products.
People belonging to different walks of life including workers, farmers, government employees, transporters, bank and airport staffs are likely to participate in the nation wide hartal called against recent price hike of petroleum products in the country.