Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Left parties to hold nat'l protest against Delhi Budget


New Delhi, Mar 23 (UNI) Condemning the Delhi Government for its ''anti-people Budget'', the Left parties today demanded immediate withdrawal of proposals to increase prices of LPG, diesel and CNG through hike in VAT in the Delhi Budget 2010-11 and declared to hold a national protest demonstration on March 26.

The Left parties, including CPI(ML) and CPI(M), lambasted the Congress Government for prioritising corporates and Commonwealth Games at the cost of the poor.

''The Delhi citizens have already been bearing the burden of increase in bus and metro fares, water tariffs, milk price, along with other essential items. The Delhi Budget proposed yesterday will only add to their woes, '' CPI(M) Secretary P M S Grewal said.

He alleged that the subsidy on LPG cylinders provided in June 2008 by the State Government had a political motive.

''The subsidy was put in place only for getting political gain in the 2008 Assembly elections. As no such compulsions exist now, the government believes that the people no longer count,'' he said.

Referring to the State Government's justification of raising resources for upcoming Commonwealth Games, the party said hundreds of crores of rupees had already being pilfered in the Games' preparations.

''Rather than raising requisite funds by cracking down on corruption, the Delhi Government is resorting to looting people,'' Mr Grewal said.

CPI(ML) Delhi State Secretary Sanjay Sharma said, ''The Budget has proven that for the Congress, the priority is to appease corporates and hold extravaganzas like Commonwealth Games, not to protect poor from skyrocketing prices.''

The party has demanded that the budgetary proposals to hike LPG, diesel and CNG prises be withdrawn on immediate basis and strict measures be taken against hoarding and blackmarketing.

Mr Sharma said the protest demonstration would be held in the national capital and be addressed by senior Left leaders.

No comments:

Post a Comment