The Communist Party of India (CPI) and CPI-Marxist jointly staged a demonstration against the Central Government to protest against the hike in prices of petrol and diesel.
Burning the Central Government in effigy, the protesters also submitted a memorandum addressed to the President, seeking withdrawal of the price hike. The party workers gathered at the Tehsil Chowk where they burnt the Union Government in effigy. Speaking on the occasion, the party leaders said that the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is following on the footsteps of the UPA-II government headed by Manmohan Singh. Just like the UPA-II had relegated control of petrol prices to the open market forces, the Modi Government has done the same with diesel prices. By handing over control of petroleum product prices to the open market forces, the Central Government is exploiting the citizens. In the last 15 days, there has been an increase of about Rs 8 in the prices of petroleum products which has increased the burden being borne by the common people already facing the effects of price rise, said the speakers while adding that both the communist parties will continue to strongly oppose such policies of the Central Government that increase the burden on the common citizens.