Fuel price hike: Trinamool Congress to stage statewide protest rallies

Kolkata, Jan 17 (ANI): The Trinamool Congress will hold statewide protest rallies here today against the UPA government's decision to increase fuel price.

Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee has said her party would take out rallies across the state to protest the price rise as she understands the sufferings of common people.

"We are with the people. We understand people's problems. As Railways Minister, I never increased passenger fares even though there were several instances of price rise. The CPM is happiest when the prices are raised. The state government makes the maximum money from petrol cess. We want to know where all that money has gone in the last few years," she added.

Giving more information about his party's decision to hold protest rallies, Trinamool MP Sudip Bandopadhyay said: "The protests will continue on January 17 and 18 since our party was not consulted before the hike in fuel prices were announced by the government."

Meanwhile, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has called a three-hour transport strike to protest against petrol price hike.

CITU's Bengal president Shyamal Chakrabarty said on Sunday that private vehicles will not come under the ambit of the strike, but anyone willing to join, is welcome.

Chakrabarty, however, has "requested" drivers of public transport to reach their passengers to their destinations and then join the strike. But those accustomed to the ways of CITU won't be expecting such benevolence.

The country is beset by rising food and fuel prices, and the Central government is facing criticism for failing to introduce structural reforms to control inflation, which has hit the general public adversely. (ANI)