Date:10/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/10/stories/2008071059470300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Protest against price rise

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Members of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch staged a demonstration in the city on Wednesday against the rise of prices of essential commodities.

They urged the Government to purchase the commodities from wholesale market and distribute it through the public distribution system (PDS) to the poor consumers.

The protesters who staged the demonstration in front of Town Hall raised slogans against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and that mindless globalisation had resulted in the steep rise in inflation rate.

The inflation rate that had reached an alarming level of above 11.45 per cent had driven prices of foodgrains, pulses, fruits and vegetables sharply, and had made these commodities expensive to the common man, they said.

A release said that during eight months between August 2007 and March 2008, the price of coconut oil had risen by 61 per cent while the price of groundnut oil increased by 71 per cent.

Further, the price of maize had gone up by 54 per cent, price of rice had increased by 72 per cent and wheat price had gone up by 74 per cent.

In the light of the increase, Union Government should take steps to prevent the death of poor consumers on account of price rise.