CPM protests against price rise in HP

Shimla, Apr 22 (UNI) The CPM today held protests in several places of Himachal Pradesh against the failure of the successive Congress and BJP Governments to reign in the prices of essential commodities.

The party held protests in front of DC office at Shimla, Rampur Bhawanagar, Rohru and Theog and several other areas of the state where it blamed the price rise in recent times to the neo-liberal policies being adopted by both the Congress and the BJP.

The party said forward trading in essential food items and their hoarding were the main cause for the increase in their prices.

Adding salt to injury, the government had virtually dismantled the PDS system, which usually acted as a buffer against prices, they added.

The party demanded universalisation of PDS system, taking out 25 agricultural items of forward contract system, strict action against blackmarketeers and hoarders and adequate supply of good quality of rice, pulses, edible oil and sugar through PDS shops in the state.

UNI AS PS PK AS2022