BHOPAL, 29 January 2007 — Concerned by the spiraling prices of essential commodities, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has decided to hold weeklong meetings and rallies across the country from Feb. 1 to 8 to protest the price rise.
While talking to newsmen here yesterday the CPI-M politburo member M.K. Pandhe made this announcement. He said the Congress-led UPA federal government is responsible for the continuing increase in prices of food items. Pandhe said: “Speculative trading in the commodity futures market has further aggravated the situation.”
The party will insist on its demands including banning of futures trading in essential commodities, crackdown on hoarding, strengthening government intervention in procurement and distribution of essential commodities, implementation of Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in additional 200 districts and presentation of the Women Reservation Bill in Parliament.
