All-India Protest Planned Against Price Rise and Unemployment

With these observations, the Left Parties have given a call for an all-India protest against price rise and unemployment. 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, 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. This year procurement will not cross 20 Metric Tonnes as against the target of 44.4 Metric Tonnes.

The continuous hike in prices of petroleum products and cooking gas cylinders and the acute shortage of wheat is propelling this overall inflation. The reported Coal shortages are pushing up the cost of electricity.

Under these circumstances the Left Parties demand that the Central government must immediately withdraw all cess/surcharges on all petroleum products and roll back price hikes, particularly of cooking gas cylinders. Wheat supplies through the Public Distribution System (PDS) must be restored. The PDS must be strengthened to check this price rise.

The Left Parties have also advised the government to legislate an employment guarantee scheme for urban areas and fill up all vacant posts.

In a statement released today (May 14), the Left Parties have directed all their units across the country to coordinate this united and concerted nationwide struggle against price rise and unemployment between 25-31 May.