Political parties to stage hartal on May 31 protesting petrol price rise

BHUBANESWAR: The political parties including Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Samajwadi Party here on Thursday decided to stage hartal on May 31 in the State protesting the steepest-ever hike in petrol prices of Rs 7.50 a litre by the Central Government.

In a joint statement, CPI State secretary Dibakar Nayak, CPI (M) secretary Janardan Pati, Forward Bloc State secretary Santosh Mitra, RJD State unit president Harish Mahapatra and Samajwadi Party State unit president Rabi Behera condemned the UPA Government for the petrol price hike. The left parties announced in the meeting to observe May 31 as protest day.

The leaders also informed the Central Government is planning to hike the price of cooking gas, kerosene and diesel in near future which will affect directly to the common men. They demanded the Government should withdraw the decision of petrol price hike.   

“UPA which made the promise of protecting the interest of the aam admi has betrayed them time and again. This fuel price rise is another example of betrayal while the general inflation almost touched eight per cent and food inflation has crossed the double digit. At this time of price rise, this fuel hiking is a hard blow to common man,” said Samajwadi Party State unit president Rabi Behera.

Similarly, ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also decided in a meeting headed by Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadei which was also attended by Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patra, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya, senior party leader Damodar Rout, MLA Arun Sahu and Sanjay Dasburma here on Friday to observe Odisha bandh on May 31 protesting petrol price hike. The leaders of the party condemned the Central Government for hiking in petrol price.

The BJD leaders requested the party workers and supporters of the State to stage protest meetings, processions and rallies to make the bandh successful. They also called upon the women, youth and students organisations across the State to support the bandh.