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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Mamata & Left in oil protest chorus

Mamata & Left in oil protest chorus

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published Published on Jan 21, 2011   modified Modified on Jan 21, 2011

Mamata Banerjee today asked the government to withdraw its decision to decontrol oil prices, the demand coming on a day arch-rival Left announced a weeklong protest from early next month over the petrol price hike.

Both spoke of the burden on the masses as the bitter enemies rehearsed for poll battles ahead: in Bengal, where Mamata is looking to topple the Marxists, and in Kerala, where the ruling Left is on a downslide.

Sources close to Mamata said the Trinamul Congress chief “expressed her concern during a meeting of the cabinet”, but refused to say anything more.

They also said Mamata, a key ally of the UPA, was not party to the decision to decontrol oil prices that saw an average increase of Rs 2.50 in petrol prices across the four metros after the midnight hike last Saturday.

“She had kept away from the cabinet meet where the decision to decontrol prices was taken,” a Trinamul source said.

After the latest hike, Mamata had staged a protest in Calcutta, saying she had not been taken into confidence. But former oil minister Murli Deora told reporters she was party to the decision. It put Mamata in an awkward situation even as the Left targeted her. Today, Mamata sought to blunt that criticism.

“Our leader has written a letter to the Prime Minister demanding rollback of oil prices as it puts a burden on the common masses. We believe that the decision to decontrol oil prices is not proper as it will give a free hand to oil companies to raise prices at will,” Trinamul leader Sultan Ahmed said.

He said the letter was written to the Prime Minister immediately after the recent hike.

The Left’s February 3-9 protest plan came at a meeting of nine parties, including some other non-NDA Opposition parties, at CPM headquarters A.K. Gopalan Bhawan.

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said the countrywide protests and rallies would culminate in a dharna in Delhi on February 9. Left leaders said price rise was pinching the masses and would work in their favour in both Bengal and Kerala.

By involving the non-NDA parties, the Left also wanted to send the message ahead of the budget session that it had distanced itself from the BJP.

With an eye on the coming elections, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat used another forum to raise the issue of tribals. Brinda said she met the finance minister to demand an enhanced budgetary allocation for tribals and a special loan waiver scheme, and also pressed for a hike in the salary of imams as ruled by the Supreme Court.

Desertion of tribal and Muslim support is said to be the key reason behind the Left’s string of electoral setbacks in Bengal.

The Telegraph, 21 January, 2011, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110121/jsp/frontpage/story_13473550.jsp


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