CPI stages protest over rising prices of essentials

Khammam: Hundreds of CPI workers and leaders the staged a protest and laid siege to the district Collectorate in Khammam on Wednesday, demanding a rollback of rising prices and implementation of assurances made by the Telangana government.

Addressing the gathering, CPI State secretary and Kothagudem MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao alleged that the country was moving towards economic decline under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He accused the Union government of pursuing policies that favoured corporates at the expense of common people and warned that larger agitations would follow if people’s issues remained unaddressed.

The protest march commenced from V Venkatayapalem and proceeded towards the Collectorate. Tension prevailed when CPI activists attempted to enter the Collectorate premises, leading to a scuffle between protesters and police personnel. Speaking at the protest, Sambasiva Rao alleged that while governments generally impose taxes on the wealthy to support the poor, the Centre was burdening ordinary citizens while extending concessions worth lakhs of crores of rupees to corporate entities. He called upon people to unite against what he described as anti-people economic policies.

The CPI leader also criticised the rise in the value of the US dollar against the rupee, increasing fuel prices and repeated hikes in domestic LPG cylinder rates. He alleged that the Centre had failed to fulfil major promises made over the past 12 years, including bringing back black money and generating large-scale employment opportunities.

Targeting the Telangana government, Sambasiva Rao said several assurances made to the public were yet to be implemented even after two-and-a-half years.