Nationwide strike by Left trade unions on August 20

Kolkata, Jun 20 (UNI) Protesting the spiralling inflation and the economic policy of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, the Left trade unions have called a nationwide general strike on August 20.

AITUC general secretary and MP Gurudas Dasgupta today said all the left trade unions, including AITUC, UTUC, CITU, TUCC, AICCTU, joined by the employees of banks, insurance and defence would participate in the strike.

"Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Chairman Montek Singh Aluwahalia are responsible for the recent spiral inflation because the Centre's Forward Trading and Liberalisation policy. We believe that the market situation would cool down if Mr.Chidambaram resigns from his post immediately," Mr Dasgupta told a press conference.

The 11.05 per cent inflation rate in wholesale market was the all-time record which the country had never experienced before, he said.

Describing as 'dangerous' the double-digit inflation, Mr.Dasgupta said the Left supported UPA government had totally failed to control the price hike.

He said the INTUC and the BMS would not participate in the strike.

Replying to a question on withdrawal of support to the UPA Government, Mr.Dasgupta asked why the left would take the responsibility for mid-term polls when the Congress-led coalition Government itself had exposed himself.

He, however, claimed that even in the event of an early election, the Left parties would not suffer, because the people would realise that these parties had been protesting against the Government's economic policies from the very beginning.

UNI AKM ADG DB1943