CPI cadre stage protest condemning Centre for price rise, unemployment
The Hindu
CPI cadre arrested for protesting against BJP's 'failures' on various fronts, including spiralling prices of essential commodities and attempts to 'divide' people on religious lines. CPI accused BJP of not providing jobs, promoting privatisation of PSUs, imposing wrong GST, and not respecting Constitution.
Scores of cadre of Communist Party of India were arrested when they staged a dharna here on Tuesday urging the Bharatiya Janata Party to relinquish power in the Centre for its ‘failures’ on various fronts.
The protest was led by All India Students’ Federation State president Dinesh and party Madurai urban district secretary M.S. Murugan.
The protest was part of nation-wide agitation of the party against the Centre for spiralling price of essential commodities and attempts to ‘divide’ the people on the lines of religions.
Mr. Murugan said that the BJP came to power with the promise of providing jobs to 2 crore people every year. But, hundreds of jobs had been lost in the public sector units. Besides, the Centre was promoting privatisation of PSUs, he charged.
Similarly, the imposition of the wrong GST had broken the backbone of several industrial units, he said.
While cooking gas cylinders used to cost ₹ 400 in 2014, its price has now crossed ₹ 1,200. Similarly, the price of petrol has also been increased to unprecedented level.
“The Centre is solely responsible for the increase of prices of these essential commodities,” he said.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.