Bandh woes continue in WB as TC, BJP call for 12-hour sh
utdown
EFN Rustam
Kolkata, June 06: A 12-hour shutdown called by the opposition Trinamool Congress in West Bengal against the hike in fuel prices began on Friday. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said the common man, oppressed by the abnormal price hike of essential commodities, would be further burdened. She also lashed out against the Central Government demanding that it should quit. The Trinamool Congress dubbed the fuel hike as `unfortunate and unprecedented`. Trinamool Congress and its ally the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) have enforced a total shutdown. The bandh has disrupted rail and road communication. Most shops and markets were closed and there were very few vehicles on the road. Trains services in Howrah and Sealdah section were badly hit. Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER) authorities have cancelled several trains while many long distance trains were stranded at different stations due to the blockades on the tracks put up by the bandh supporters. Airport sources around 15 flights took off from the N S C Bose International Airport till 7 am. BJP has also called a 12-hour bandh today on the same issue. Today’s bandh comes a day after the Left parties sponsored bandh in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. The Central Government`s decision to hike fuel prices, the biggest hike in fuel prices in 12 years, led to strong reactions from across the political spectrum. The Left parties have already announced a countrywide protest for August 20. The Congress-led UPA government, however, justified the hike, saying that the decision was unavoidable following mounting losses to public sector oil companies due to three-fold increase in prices of international crude. According to experts, the inflation is expected to rise up to 10 percent due to rise in the fuel prices. The government had on Wednesday announced an increase in the prices of petrol and diesel by about 10 per cent and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by 17 per cent, the biggest hike in fuel prices in 12 years. Government raised petrol prices by Rs 5, diesel by Rs 3 and cooking gas cylinder by Rs 50.
utdownEFN Rustam
Kolkata, June 06: A 12-hour shutdown called by the opposition Trinamool Congress in West Bengal against the hike in fuel prices began on Friday. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said the common man, oppressed by the abnormal price hike of essential commodities, would be further burdened. She also lashed out against the Central Government demanding that it should quit. The Trinamool Congress dubbed the fuel hike as `unfortunate and unprecedented`. Trinamool Congress and its ally the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) have enforced a total shutdown. The bandh has disrupted rail and road communication. Most shops and markets were closed and there were very few vehicles on the road. Trains services in Howrah and Sealdah section were badly hit. Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER) authorities have cancelled several trains while many long distance trains were stranded at different stations due to the blockades on the tracks put up by the bandh supporters. Airport sources around 15 flights took off from the N S C Bose International Airport till 7 am. BJP has also called a 12-hour bandh today on the same issue. Today’s bandh comes a day after the Left parties sponsored bandh in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. The Central Government`s decision to hike fuel prices, the biggest hike in fuel prices in 12 years, led to strong reactions from across the political spectrum. The Left parties have already announced a countrywide protest for August 20. The Congress-led UPA government, however, justified the hike, saying that the decision was unavoidable following mounting losses to public sector oil companies due to three-fold increase in prices of international crude. According to experts, the inflation is expected to rise up to 10 percent due to rise in the fuel prices. The government had on Wednesday announced an increase in the prices of petrol and diesel by about 10 per cent and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by 17 per cent, the biggest hike in fuel prices in 12 years. Government raised petrol prices by Rs 5, diesel by Rs 3 and cooking gas cylinder by Rs 50.
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