Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Jul 16: The State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged protest at the Mangalore service bus stand on Monday July 15, opposing the Central Congress government’s decision on the hike in petrol prices and the unsatisfactory budget passed by the State Government.
The protestors pointed out that the price of petrol had been increased for the fourth time after the Congress government came in power. This time the prices were raised by Rs 7.50. The protestors were of the view that it wasn’t just the matter of petrol alone, but also indicated an upward trend in the pricing of basic commodities, portending future a market unaffordable by the common man in the near future.
Central government went on experimenting more and more foreign investments in our country. Though it seemed to be working out well for the country initially, now as the profits have begun to reduce, the investors are withdrawing their investments one by one. As an aftermath of the same, we are being led to recession and the value of rupee is reducing day by day, as compared to the US dollar. The value of a dollar as against rupees which used to be Rs 40 per dollar has increased to a whopping Rs 60 per dollar. It is wrong on the part of the government to have put the load of recession directly on the heads of common people, as a result of which the protest had to be called for.
They also opposed the State government’s recent budget, which was not favorable to the poor. The budget gave very less importance to the rural development and natural calamities. The CPIM speakers also pointed out that the decision to continue Sales Tax and VAT has effectively proved that Congress was no better than BJP.
Albeit Rice being provided at Rs 1 was a welcome policy, CPIM members accused the Congress government of having implemented the Rice project just viewing the upcoming election. Rumors also suggested that Siddaramayya will be the CM only until the next election, after which a real congress person is expected to step up and handle the chair of the CM.
District officials Dogu Suvarna, Balakrishna Shetty, KL Laxman, Raju Poojari and others were present during the protest.