Left leaders arrested as part of 'Jail bharo' programme

Vijayawada, Apr 8 : CPI(M) Central Committee member V Srinivasa Rao, CPI National Council member E Nageswara Rao, among 200 left parties workers, were arrested today as part of their nation-wide 'Jailbharo' programme in protest against the price rise of essential commodities.Earlier, the activists staged a 'dharna' in front of the Sub-Collector's office and raised slogans against the government's failure in controlling the prices.Mr Srinivasa Rao, addressing the gathering, said the government should control rise in prices or leave the power. He alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, which had promised before elections that it would take steps to check prices of essential commodities, after coming to power had failed to control the hike in prices.Claiming that lakhs of tonnes of foodgrains were kept in government godowns, he said the foodgrains should be released and distributed among the people to curb the price rise.Alleging that the Congress Government was cancelling lakhs of ration cards in the state in the pretext of bogus cards and resorting to opportunistic politics after winning elections, he demanded that essential commodities be supplied on minimum prices to the below and above proverty line poor.He alleged that the Congress government was encouraging Maoists and Trinamool Congress workers in West Bengal to attack Left party workers and making conspiracy to throw the CPI(M)-led government from the power.The speaker's demands included reduction of prices of essential commodities, release of 4.25 lakh tonnes of foodgrains kept in government godowns, strengthening of public distribution system, revoking of hiking prices of petrol and diesle and implementation of Employment Guarantee Schemes in urban areas too.The arrested were shifted to Suryaraopet Police Stataion and later released on station bail.
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