Peaceful bandh in three Left-ruled states against fuel price hike

Within 24 hrs of hiking prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas by the Central government, its nation-wide impact has started reflecting in different parts of the nation. Normal life in the Left ruled states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura is completely disrupted after the ruling government has called for a 12-hr bandh, which came into effect from 6 am on Thursday.

The protests against the hike in petroleum products in Left ruled states is just a beginning of the nation-wide agitation, which the Left earlier had warned the government. The Left demanded the government to roll back increased prices.

A complete shutdown has been noticed in Kolkata while the rest of the West Bengal has also been nearly paralysed. A routine life has also been affected across the Kerala.

All academic institutions, shops, market, government offices are closed from the very morning as the government had informed the public yesterday evening. Streets in Kolkata were seen in complete silent with buses were off-road and people were invisible. The bandh also severely affected the schedule of flights, to-and-fro Kolkata and trains were also affected as people were seen squatted on the rail tracks. Various airlines either cancelled their flights or re-scheduled them. The normal operations of the flight will come into effect after 6 pm when the bandh will be called off.

"The state-bandh is so far peaceful. Train and flight services are also affected. Bandh supporters squatted on railway tracks in different parts of the state so the services are influenced but no violent agitation has been noticed yet," a senior police official said.

Left Front Chairman Biman Bose said the party was protesting against the hike in fuel prices because it would have cascading effect on the common people across the nation and would further enhance prices of the essential commodities. Already reeling under the increased prices, how the common people would face the further hike, he added.

The condition is expected to remain same on Friday as the major Opposition party, Trinamool Congress and BJP have also called for a 12-hour bandh on the same issue to lodge protest against the price rise. The TC also challenged the CPI (M) to withdraw support from the UPA-government at the Centre.

The Congress-led UPA government on Wednesday increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 3 respectively and also did not spare the cooking gas and increased by Rs 50 per cylinder.

However, the government also reduced custom duty on crude oil to zero from the current 5 percent and slashed the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Re 1 per litre.

With the Wednesday’s revised prices of fuel, petrol in the capital was started selling from the last midnight at Rs 50.56 against the previous Rs 45.56 while in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai the prices of petrol has been started selling at Rs 53.56, Rs 55.54 and Rs 54.64 respectively.