July 5 Hartal: Unprecedented Success

Date: 5 July 2010

The Left parties, the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Forward Bloc have issued the following statement:

July 5 Hartal: Unprecedented Success

The all India hartal to protest against the steep increase in the prices of petroleum products has been an unprecedented success. Despite detention and arrests of thousands of protesters, there was a bandh like situation in all parts of the country with shops, business establishments, transport and educational institutions being closed. Left leaders, A.B. Bardhan, D Raja and Brinda Karat were arrested for picketing in Delhi. This has been the most widespread protest action in the country in recent years.

The Left parties congratulate the people and the tens of thousands of activists who have made the hartal a complete success. By this action the people have expressed their anger and strong opposition to the anti-people policies of inflicting successive burdens on the people through price hikes of petroleum products.

The Left parties in consultation with secular opposition parties will chalk out plans for further intensifying the movement against price rise to compel the government to reverse these harmful steps.


Sd/-

(A.B. Bardhan)

General Secretary, CPI

(Prakash Karat)

General Secretary, CPI(M)

(T.K. Chandrachoodan)

General Secretary, RSP

Debabrata Biswas

General Secretary, AIFB