BJP stages protest against rising inflation

Rajkot, May 19 : In a unique demonstration, activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took out a symbolic 'funeral procession' of inflation on the streets of Rajkot on Monday, to protest against the rising inflation in the country.

The protesters carrying the effigy of inflation over their shoulders marched down the streets raising anti-government slogans to slam the government over their failure to control rising prices.

The local BJP leaders alleged that the Centre ruled United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress party has miserably failed to control inflation, which has affected both consumers and manufacturers.

"Since the time, Congress has come into power, prices of commodities have risen incessantly leaving consumers and sellers hapless. On the one hand farmers are committing suicide because they are not getting the right price for their produce, while on the other hand consumers are also bearing the brunt of inflation. In this scenario, nobody is satisfied," said Govind Bhai Patel, President, BJP, Rajkot.

The protestors set the effigy of inflation on fire amid heavy sloganeering.

Gujarat is among one of the few states where BJP is in power while the party is the main opposition at the national level.

The wholesale price inflation rate, India's most widely watched measure, rose 7.83 per cent in the week ending May 3, its highest since November 2004 but analysts said it was unlikely to provoke more monetary tightening for now as economic growth appeared to be slowing.

Policy makers expect economic growth to slow to 8.0-8.5 per cent in the 2008-09 fiscal year that began in April, down from an estimated 8.7 percent in 2007-08 and 18-year high of 9.6 per cent in 2006-07.

ANI