Kolkata:
Kolkata is bracing for a day of political rallies as both the CPM and the Trinamool Congress have planned protests against the price rise.
Largest CPM trade union, CITU, has called a three-hour transport strike to protest petrol price hike. However, they won't stop buses in that period if they are carrying passengers.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee too said that her party will hold a procession in Kolkata against price rise. Party chief Mamata Banerjee has blamed the state government for levying new taxes. She said the government is the happiest when petrol prices are raised.
"We are with the people. We understand people's problems. As Railways Minister, I never increased passenger fares even though there were several instances of price rise. The CPM is happiest when the prices are raised. The state government makes the maximum money from petrol cess. We want to know where all that money has gone in the last few years," Mamata said.
The Trinamool had earlier expressed its hurt at not being consulted over the issue of price rise.
"It's a simple issue. TMC has neither been consulted nor called for discussion over the price hike of petrol. In fact, our leader Mamata Banerjee met Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee last evening at the airport and even there the decision on hiking prices was not communicated to her which has really hurt her. We are of the opinion that any such decision should be taken at the meeting of UPA II. A meeting in three months should happen to discuss the ideas of different parties who are very much involved to run UPA", Trinamool MP Sudip Bandopadhyay told reporters on Sunday. (Read: Trinamool upset over not being consulted on fuel price hike)
It's the second time in as many days, that an ally attacked the Congress. First it was the NCP chief and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, who distanced himself from the rising food prices, implying it was the top leadership of the government, not him, which oversaw economic policy. (Read: Petrol prices hiked again)
Largest CPM trade union, CITU, has called a three-hour transport strike to protest petrol price hike. However, they won't stop buses in that period if they are carrying passengers.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee too said that her party will hold a procession in Kolkata against price rise. Party chief Mamata Banerjee has blamed the state government for levying new taxes. She said the government is the happiest when petrol prices are raised.
"We are with the people. We understand people's problems. As Railways Minister, I never increased passenger fares even though there were several instances of price rise. The CPM is happiest when the prices are raised. The state government makes the maximum money from petrol cess. We want to know where all that money has gone in the last few years," Mamata said.
The Trinamool had earlier expressed its hurt at not being consulted over the issue of price rise.
"It's a simple issue. TMC has neither been consulted nor called for discussion over the price hike of petrol. In fact, our leader Mamata Banerjee met Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee last evening at the airport and even there the decision on hiking prices was not communicated to her which has really hurt her. We are of the opinion that any such decision should be taken at the meeting of UPA II. A meeting in three months should happen to discuss the ideas of different parties who are very much involved to run UPA", Trinamool MP Sudip Bandopadhyay told reporters on Sunday. (Read: Trinamool upset over not being consulted on fuel price hike)
It's the second time in as many days, that an ally attacked the Congress. First it was the NCP chief and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, who distanced himself from the rising food prices, implying it was the top leadership of the government, not him, which oversaw economic policy. (Read: Petrol prices hiked again)
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