Procession, road blockades mark Left-sponsored stir in K'taka

Bangalore, June 13 (UNI) Hundreds of CPI, CPI (M) and CITU workers today took processions and resorted to road blockades in Karnataka in response to the nationwide protest call given by the Left parties against the 'unjustified' hike in the prices of petroleum products.

The Leftists accused the Union Government of having failed to contain the prices of essential commodities and said frequent hike in petro prices would worsen the situation. The Centre should rein in the private petroleum companies trying to gain control over the sale of petrol and diesel in the country.

In the city, the agitators resorted to road blockade, disrupting vehicular traffic for a brief period.

The agitation remained peaceful in the state and no arrests were made, police sources said.

Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party (SP) workers also supported the agitation.

The SP workers, led by former Chief Minister and party state President S Bangarappa, took out a bicycle rally in the city.

Addressing the workers, Mr Bangarappa demanded that the UPA government bring down the import duty on crude and reduce excise duty on petroleum products. The government should desist from adopting unethical ways to reduce the fiscal deficit.'' Lorries and trucks were also off the road in the state following the Karntaka Lorry Owners and Agents Association calling for a token strike to register their protest.

Besides the city, lorry services were affected in Mangalore, Gulbarga, Mysore, Bijapur, Bellary, Shimoga and Hubli-Dharwad.

However, movement of essential commodities was not hit.

Association Secretary Venugopal said ''We want the sales tax on diesel to be fixed under value metric system. The tax should be charged on litre basis. We condemn Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's statement that sales tax will not be reduced in the state. If it is not brought down within 20 days, the Association will launch an indefinite strike in the state,'' he added.

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