Left parties stage protest in Chennai against hike in petrol and diesel prices.
Tamil Nadu: On Wednesday, Leftist parties staged a protest at Thanga Salai in Chennai against the hike in petrol and diesel prices. Several activists participated in the demonstration, including P. Shanmugam, State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and M. Veerpandian, State Secretary of the Communist Party of India. The protesters raised slogans against the Central Government and held banners to register their opposition to the rising prices.
During the protest, leaders alleged that the Central Government bears the sole responsibility for the ongoing rise in petrol and diesel prices. They stated that the economic burden on the common people is continuously increasing, while no relief is being provided regarding the prices of essential fuels. Terming the Central Government’s policies as “anti-people,” the protesters demanded that these policies be changed.
Subsequently, P. Shanmugam and M. Veerpandian jointly addressed the media and questioned the Central Government’s fuel policy. They asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds full responsibility for the escalating prices of petrol and diesel. According to them, in many countries across the world, the procurement and distribution of crude oil are under government control; however, in India, this system operates differently, with the Central Government purchasing crude oil and subsequently distributing it to the private sector.
The leaders also demanded that this system be reviewed and, if feasible, discontinued, so that the Central Government may directly assume control over the supply and distribution of crude oil. They argued that whenever state governments face economic hardships, the Centre should provide relief by offering subsidies.
They further alleged that prices for petrol, diesel, and LPG cylinders intended for commercial use have already been hiked, and there is apprehension that the prices of gas cylinders for domestic use may also rise in the future. The protesters characterized this as an additional burden on the common people and demanded immediate relief.
Throughout the demonstration, activists continuously raised slogans against the Central Government’s policies and demanded that stability be restored to fuel prices. The protest concluded peacefully; however, the leaders signaled their intention to continue the agitation in the future.
