The Left parties have decided to stage protests in front of all District Collectorates across Andhra Pradesh against the spiralling prices of essential commodities and the increasing tax burdens on the people on May 30.
The representatives of 10 Left parties including CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna, CPI(M) State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao, C. Prasad of the CPI(ML) New Democracy, Ramdev of the CPI(ML) Liberation, Qader Basha of the MCPI(U) and others took part in a meeting chaired by Forward Bloc State general secretary P. Sundara Rama Raju, here on Sunday.
They said that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre had increased prices of the petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders. A LPG cylinder was ₹450 when the NDA government assumed office and it is ₹1,050 now. Petrol was sold for ₹46 per litre and now, it is available at ₹120. The prices of essential commodities have also skyrocketed. The steep rise in petroleum prices is impacting the transport sector and has a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities, they said.
The prices of steel, cement, sand and etc have also increased substantially, impacting the construction sector. The MNREGS is being ‘watered down’. The number of man-days has come down and the work doubled, while wages have been halved, they said.
The Left parties have put forth seven demands to strengthen the public distribution system. It has been decided to launch an agitation from May 25 to 31. The 10 Left parties in the State would state protests across the State, they said.
