LF

Kolkata, Jun 4 (UNI) Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi today termed both the Left Front and the Trinamool Congress' sponsored 12-hour Bangla Bandh for two consecutive days as ''politically motivated.'' ''Both the Bangla Bandhs are totally politically motivated. The CPI(M)-led Left Front has called the bandh out of frustration following confrontration with its partners and setback in the panchayat elections and to bring back the people into confidence,'' Mr Dasmunshi told newspersons here.

He said, every political party has a democratic right to protest against any announcement of the government but the way in which the 'opportunist' CPI(M) has called the bandh was totally politically motivated.

''The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre has reduced the customs and excise duty after marginal price increase in petrol, diesel and domestic LPG, but why cannot the Left withdraw the cess and additional surcharges and lessen the burden on the people?'' Mr Dasmunshi asked.

The Union Minister said, '' we know the Centre's decision will severely affect the common people. The steady increase in international oil prices has left the UPA government with no alternative but to neutralise the effect of the price hike of petroleum in the international market.'' ''We cannot let the public sectors to go bankrupt and neither do we want such a populist economic growth at the cost of people's life, '' he said.

He said due to the steady increase in international oil prices, it was necessary for the consumers, who is an important stake holder, to shoulder a small part of the increased burden through a marginal hike in the prices of petroleum products.

''We are opposing tomorrow's Bangla Bandh but the party would not go into any confrontation with the ruling,'' Mr Dasmunshi observed.

UNI AKM KK SLD RAI2200