Protests in MP against petro prices hike

Bhopal, Jun 7 (UNI) Cutting across partylines, the Ruling BJP and CPI(M) activists blocked roads and submitted memoranda today at different places in Madhya Pradesh in protest against the ''reckless'' hike in petro products' prices.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Centre's UPA regime were burnt in effigy and slogans were raised at several locations.

Demanding withdrawal of the hike, demonstrators warned that the agitation would be intensified.

In the state capital, BJP demonstrators staged a sit-in at Roshanpura crossing and then submitted a memo to the administration.

A bullock-cart demonstration will be held tomorrow.

Reports of demonstrations poured in from Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Sagar, Guna and other places.

''Demonstrators staged sit-in at divisional and district headquarters and submitted memoranda addressed to th President,'' said a release from the state BJP office.

''CPI(M) workers burnt the Prime Minister and Union Finance Minister in effigy since yesterday at every divisional headquarters,'' a CPI(M) release said.

If the hike was not withdrawn, CPI(M) workers would join forces with other Left parties for blocking roads and staging demonstrations on June 13.

UNI PKJ-AC YA HT1905