Date:12/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/12/stories/2007101261431300.htm

National

Sena protests against price rise

Special Correspondent

Delegation meets Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, raises several issues

— Photo: PTI

Seeking justice: Shiv Sena activists have an altercation with the police in front of Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil’s office in Mumbai on Thursday during a protest against the alleged poor quality wheat distribution through the PDS.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Thursday took on the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra over the rising prices and the poor quality wheat in ration shops. Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks, mostly women, held a protest rally at Azad Maidan and some of them were arrested while trying to block the traffic.

At the Mantralaya (State secretariat), the police caned women who gathered to protest against the security stopping the car of Leader of the Opposition Ramdas Kadam at the gate. About 12 women were arrested here and later released.

Traffic was held up in Nariman Point for a while. Shiv Sainiks also took samples of the poor quality “red wheat” available in ration shops inside Mantralaya. When the police tried to confiscate this, the women denounced the government by raising slogans on the sixth floor where the offices of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister are located.

Security was tightened at Mantralaya after the incident. Later, a delegation of Sena leaders and members of the party’s Mahila Aghadi met Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil and raised several issues with him.

According to Neelam Gorhe, deputy leader of the Shiv Sena, the party focused on lack of control over prices and the abysmal quality of wheat in the ration shops. Ms. Gorhe said that earlier the government had a policy of providing items such as sugar, maida and ravabut it had stopped doing so. Mr. Patil has promised to revive the scheme and said he would put it up for discussion at the next Cabinet meeting.

The Sena has taken forward issues raised by its alliance partner, the BJP, which has launched a campaign on wheat imports and poor quality of wheat. On Thursday, when asked why the BJP was not part of the protest, Mr. Kadam said they would be consulted. Relations between the two parties are back on track after much strain. The Sena is proposing a State-wide agitation on the issue of price rise.