AITC criticises Cong, LF for objecting 'chakka-jam' prog

Kolkata, July 10 (UNI) Opposition leader in the West Bengal Assembly Partho Chatterjee today criticised the Congress and the ruling Left Front for objecting to the party's 'chakka-jam programme' during the Prime Minister's visit here tomorrow.

Speaking to newsmen in his Assembly chamber, Mr Chatterjee said they wondered why the Opposition Congress had objected to the party's agitational programme when All India Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee had clarified that the one-hour agitation from 12 noon here and in neighbouring Howrah and North 24 Parganas district was to draw the Prime Minister's attention to price hike of essential commodities.

''We are reiterating that our token agitational programme is not to show any disrespect to the Prime Minister but to highlight the issue of abnormal hike in prices of essentials in West Bengal and the callous and unconcerned attitude of the ruling Left Front.

''Since AITC workers do not want any confrontation with the state administration or the security agencies, tomorrow's chakka-jam would be absolutely peaceful,'' Mr Chatterjee assured.

Dr Manmohan Singh is arriving here tomorrow to lay the foundation stone for the National Institute of Science Education and Research of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics.

Later, he is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Raj Bhawan on issues including the future of Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council before returning to New Delhi the same afternoon.

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