CHANDIGARH: Almost all the opposition parties have decided to observe Feb. 26 as a protest day against the recent increase in the prices of the essential Commodities.
Earlier the opposition parties boycotted the opening day of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, A meeting of the opposition parties was held at the Telugu desam Bhavan. There twelve opposition parties and groups met. While the ALDMK. did not take part in the meeting the DMX, participation was not clear. The Akali Dal had sent a word that it will go with the collective decision of the opposition parties. It is our belief that a section of the Akali Dal belonging to Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala and Mr. Balwant Singh group was opposed to participating in the opposition parties campaign. However, the group belonging to Mr. Parkash Singh Badal told the other Dal to participate in the opposition agitation.
More than one hundred top opposition leaders and members of parliament courted arrest on Feb 20 along with 10,000 supporters by defying prohibitory orders in Delhi in protest against the recent price hike, The leaders arrested included the BWJ.P. President Mr. Atul Behari Vajpayee, the Lok Dal Vice President, H.N. Bahugtuna, Mr, Upinder of Telugu Desam, Mr. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia of Alali Dal, Vasudey Acharya of CP.M., Begum Abdulla of National conference and Mr Inderjit Gupta of CPL They joined the demonstrators who included 1000 women at Patel Chowk near Parliament House where they were arrested, Almost all opposition parties, Trade Unions and Women’s action groups had jointly organized the anti price rise demonstration. The only exception was that the AIDMK which did not participate in the demonstration. All those arrested were later let off. The demonstrators who carried placards and party flags began the procession from Jantar Mantar and marched towards Parliament House, They were stopped at Paltel Chowk by a large contingent of police who had raised barricades all around, The demonstrators shouted slogans like “Roti, Boti De Na Sake, Woh ‘Sarkar Nagami Hai” and “Rajiv Gandhi Moorda Bad” and broke the police cordon in violation of the prohibitory orders. Demonstrators also broke the window panes of the several D.T.C. buses. About 50 buses were hired by the police to take away the demonstrators from the scene, Before starting from Jantar Mantar, party leaders addressed those who were going to court arrest and stressed the need for a country wide struggle against the price hike. Opposition MP’s earlier boycotted the joint session of Parliament addressed by President Zail Singh. The agitation comes in the wake of protests at various forums by the opposition Parties, rade unions, and women’s Organizations against the steep rise Of prices of essential commodities and petroleum products and the antipeople economic policies of the Government.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 28, 1986
