Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120357520300.htm

Other States - Orissa

Left parties stage protest demanding reduction in fuel price

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: Left parties held demonstrations in the city demanding roll back of price of petroleum products in the country.

The Ganjam district unit of the CPI took out a rally against the Central government for continuing to put financial burden on the common mass while the price of crude oil was on the decline in the world market. The rally started from their party office and it moved around the city before reaching the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division.

This rally was led by district secretary of the party Prakash Patro and MLA of Chatrapur N.Narayan Reddy. They organised a public meeting in front of RDC office before handing over a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister to the RDC. Mr. Patro said non-roll back of hiked petroleum products’ prices spoke of the anti-people policies of the Congress led UPA government. “Hike of LPG has also affected the rural people also as it happens to be the common fuel even in rural areas,” said Mr. Reddy.

The Ganjam district unit of the CPI(M) organised a road blockade at engineering school square on the NH-217 that passes through the city. Led by the district general secretary of the CPI (M), Kalu Panda, DYFI leader Basant Nanda and Ram Chandra Nayak the CPI (M) activists stopped vehicular traffic at the spot for more than an hour demanding the Central government to reduce the price of petroleum products including LPG.