Making evident her displeasure with the UPA government over the steep hike in petrol price, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit the streets here on Saturday.
Thousands of Trinamool supporters and the entire brass of the party sweated it out with Ms. Banerjee, as she walked through a five-km stretch in the rally, which began in the south of the city and ended on a thoroughfare near her home.
Significantly, Ms. Banerjee remained silent through her walk, which lasted nearly 90 minutes. Waving her hands and greeting the crowd with a ‘namaskar', Ms. Banerjee in the end thanked the people for participating in the protest, even as the crowd waved party flags and placards demanding a rollback of the hike.
On Wednesday, within hours of the fuel price hike announcement, Ms. Banerjee lashed out at the Centre but said her party wanted stability as toppling the UPA government would cause a further setback at a time when “economic mismanagement” was creating serious problems for the country.
Ms. Banerjee taking to the streets is being interpreted as a move to mount pressure on the ally, the Congress, while sending a message to the people that the Trinamool was not a party to such decisions and that it shared their concerns over price spiral.
Trinamool leaders described the rally as a “fitting reply” to the Centre, which had not consulted Ms. Banerjee before increasing the petrol price.
“The UPA government will have to roll back the hike. Mamata Banerjee raised her objections to the decision earlier and now she led a protest rally on the issue,” senior leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay told the gathering.
Asked why the party lodged its protest despite being part of the UPA government, he said the Trinamool had a right to register its protest if decisions were taken without consultations.
Keywords: petrol price hike, Mamata protest
These guys are winning elections on mass support. Gone are the days when people used to believe leaders. With the advent of technology and information I think many people will think before they vote for somebody like Mamata. This lady does not know what is she upto.
She forced to resign the ex Railway Minister Trivedi for hiking the Rail Fares. Why this time a change? She can force all her ministers in the UPA cabinet to resign and there by posing a threat to the stability of the UPA Government. This is only a gimmick to shield her failures to force a roll back. People can't be fool of all the time.
Is there no such thing as collective responsibility as she is part of
UPA 11 ??, if not happy, then leave !
What is the use of holding the rally against Petrol raise by the Trimool Congress. It will serve no purpose at all. Madam Banerjee earlier promised that she would not tolerate any further raise in the Petrol.ow the raise is very very high. Withdrwal of support to the Govt.is only the solution for a good result. as DMK has no guts to withdraw the support because of its 2G scam and has to remain with ruling party to save its skin. whereas the Trimool Congress is having a clean image.
Making people fools. this is a mockery to say i and we are clean but the govt which i am also a part is not so?
Taking to the streets to protest against a government of which one is a part? That takes the cake.
Mamta knows that there is no petrol in her back yard. This is only a stunt she is playing which may misfire.Her walking out from the TV studio calling students are Maoists, has already caused sufficient damage to her reputation as a leader.
What mathaji needs is a crash 101economics course and at at least aminimum c grade before she continues her tenure of cm or any m. A country that imports 73percent of its crude oil needs will have to equalise the fall or rise of crude only by passing it on to the users. Here it is question of having the cake and eat it. Either eat it or keep it. Secondly it is high time that bosses in the petrloleum ministry takes a relook at the need for three different oil companies and its bosses when only one company is sufficient. Secondly the threesomes we got out of the nationalisation of three companies that were in the oil bussinees. Finally what is the need to advertise the products in the indian market when all
the tree are govt bussinees.
Will someone please tell her that she is not the opposition any more, both in the
center and state!!!
She was part of UPA when deregulation was brought into action, and when Railway minister is her party man. Why not ask the railway minister to resign as well in protest instead of taking a silent mouthed rally in Calcutta.
The price rise of petroleum & its products was eminent but govt
appeared to mishandle it correctly by deferring it for a long time i
the beginning & starting the rise while price was falling, because the
contract rates are periodical that are revised from time time to
time,This will always be misunderstood by the common man & this point
is subject to exploitation by the opposition but govt could manage to
adjust the pricing to look reasonable & logical to those who don't
understand the price that appeared differed by taking the technical&
fundamental factors into consideration can allow the rise or fall of
price according to the international crude prices while supporting the
contract prices through cushion of funds (the fault IS FROM MANI
SHANKAR IYER WHO DID NOT ALLOW THE RISE FOR LONGER TIME)
this is nothing but a political gimmick by CM of Bengal.If she has guts
let her come out of the UDF[which she can not do as she has more stake].
Whom she is trying to fool,Bengal people or the nation.It appears that
she is more for the street brawl than for a discussion with the Govt. of
which she is also a party.
Please try to do some constructive things to the countrymen
Withdraw Support.
The best agitation for this furious C.M would be to withdraw her support or demand immediate rollback of petrol prices. That would be the feasible solution for the current situation and she is capable to doing it.
@hemnath The protest dd cause problems...it caused massive traffic jams
all over south Kolkata which took hours to resolve...and probably
resulted in many people having to waste a good deal of petrol (and time)
:P
Who is kidding whom ? What is unjust price ? Is collecting money from the tax payers and doleing it out to the vanity driven, rather van driven consumers unjust or is asking the consumers to pay at least the cost of production for the commodity unjust ? The opposition parties could have made use of this issue to project themselves as Statesmen by calling spade a spade and by telling the motorists they were wrong in asking for subsidies. Instead the opposition parties have followed the policy " enemy's enemy is my friend " and aligned against the ruling government. Machiavellianism has again showed its ugly presence.I had great hopes with BJP in particular that it would bring India to some decency. I am disappointed that BJP has missed an opportunity. I am not enamoured of the present central government but that is besides the issue.
Another mile stone for Didi:
1. First Didi removes a minister of her own party because he seems it fit to raise railway fair.
2. New minister Mukul Roy only PARTIALLY rolled back the hike in fair.
3. Then DIDI ask Gov to rollback the petrol prices (not suggeting a solution). This is only a childish demand to is hanging on to.
4. It is a congress model (applied in Delhi)to press state gov. to reduce the taxes. Unfortunately Didi does not any money coming in her kitty to do away with. PB only earn 21K which goes only pay the interest of loans taken by Pashchim Bengal gov. Didi already cried over and threatens gov to waive this substantial loan PB on gov.
5. Not to mention the cartoon.
NDA if trying to woo Mamta then they should think twice (although I doubt the fore slightness in such as Nitin Gadkari). NDA may use this to their advantage to de-stabilize the gov. This sheer hypocrisy will do no good to TMC .People can only curse themselves for choosing her with such majority.
Roman empire collapsed when the government didn't balance the books.
Is India heading in the same direction?
Mamata should stop these cheap tactics.
She should let her partyman in Centre do his job, in Railways in a responsible way.
Most pitiable/despicable that a CM takes to streets, while being PARTY to the Govt that took the decision ! All drama to fool public? V Bad
and deplorable trend in our politicians; NO discipline or loyalty to any principles ?? God save us; all respect for Mamta gone now !!!
Most pitiable/despicable that a CM takes to streets, while being PARTY to the Govt that took the decision ! All drama to fool public? V Bad
What a shame! Being part of UPA central Govt with her party members in Cabinet, the CM takes out a rally on petrol price hike - pure audacity and tamasha for publicity?? IF she disliked disapproves the measure, she should TELL Sonia boldly she withdraws support - won't do, for she wants share in Power ! What happens to our leaders when they get power after talking BIG on common man problems and need to rescue them from heavy burden ! In general, all her fans slowly LOSE faith in her sure!
No wayk we can get sincere loyal folks into our govt or administration!
I read in recent telugu news paper headlines on the recent visit of Indian top bureacrat speach on "India growing but Indian government spleeping". In that issue/article, media quoted that the today's India's development is stopped because of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. This is simply shae to our country that one single lady threaten centeral government for her vote bank. I do not foresee any major development in the lives of Indian common man unless these politicians sit behind bars. Thanks, Kumar.
Same old Drama...
Poor public does not have the capacity and capability to ascertain the face behind the face and , therefore , has been historically cheated
all the times.Many dirty and evil politicians are eating up their hard earned money and still empty stomach and wish to squeeze even the last
left out grass in the bread.In.U.S.A. where the earnings are not less than ten times of the average Indian, the petrol is still cheaper than India.Mamta Banerjee had been in politics for several years and knows that when non-congress govt. were in the center neither the country went through communal riots and nor the economy was unstable.
Now even the Congress people have started challenging and instigating
her to do something. Therefore, either she must take a decision or stop crying for poor men.
Since Government of India has deregulated the pricing of petroleum., Oil companies alone can increase or decrease the price of petrol . Since Mamatha Banerjee too was in the cabinet when this deregulation policy was adopted, there is no moral right for her to oppose now against the hike of Petrol. The street march and other protest are out of political compulsion as she is the chief Minister of West Bengal .Middle class people and others who are frequently using petrol cars and two wheelers are the worst sufferers.It is shocking to hear that Hike of diesel , kerosene and LPG prices are on the anvil. our fiscal deficit and current account deficit are widening at alarming proportion and our rupee has lost its charm as currency by steep depreciation over dollar. ,government as well as Public sector oil companies should take strict fiscal discipline such as cutting expenditure and foreign trips .If central government forgo a part of taxes and duties on petrol people will get some relief
Aah! she is just using it to gain some positive vibes with the people after the recent bad-karma deeds of arresting professors for making cartoons...
and the public will buy this... That's Indian politics for you...
Height of stupidity. Support for the govt. from within & going against the govt. too..!! Can she not make it more forceful like how she did for the train fares..?? Surprising people do continue to believe in such politicians.
Triumph of Mamata Banerjee is indeed a great display of democracy at its best. She is so erratic, unpredictable, often devoid of rationality but people are equally mad after her and their lies her Charisma. It is doubtful if there ever be another Mamata Banerjee
As a country that is devoid of any significant oil wealth, we simply
cannot sustain this level of private ownership of vehicles.
Considering our pathetic road infrastructure and the precarious
economic situation, the government should do everything it can to
discourage private ownership and instead improve our public
transportation system. The metro rail in our cities are a step in the
right direction. The time is also ripe for our government to allow the
private sector to run city buses. Decades of government monopoly in
city transport has proven time and time again the inefficiency and
apathy with which they are run. Allowing private buses will put more
buses on the road and will go a long way in relieving congestion in
our roads. It is no exaggeration to say that half the fuel consumed is
wasted by vehicles idling or moving at a snail’s pace in a traffic
jam.
This is all a big stunt by Miss Benarji. She knocked down Tata Nano in Bengal but wants to have a big share from exchequer of Central govt. I think she is still too immature to take decisions positively. Indian poverty can not be routed out unless the purchasing power of the total population is gone up. This can be done only by encouraging small and medium entrepreneurs along with big houses of trade and industry.Our politicians like Mamata will never understand this. They are only making poor people more depending on the Govt schemes and funds. Mamata is responsible for loosing out at least 10000 direct jobs and some 25000 nos of indirect employment by eliminating Tatas from the state. Modi of Gujarat really encashed the situation to the maximum effect. Mamata is probably under constant fear that Marxists may grab power at any point of time on account of her mistakes or blunders. That is why, she is making frequent hue and cry on one issue or the other.
What a joke! All she can do are these cheap publicity stunts.
she dramatizes and the drama continues. when she was railway minister
she said she threatened in parliament that she would present a wonderful
white paper, then winning, then the other things and now this drama as
usual. God save Bengal God save the country. pity people are carried
away by these.
At this rate Dr.Manmohan Singh may also say that the steep hike in petrol price is unjust, fool the people and escape.
You all know our Mamta. She is volatile as any good person is on
injustice. If Govt has ceased control from over oil Cos,it should also
stop benifitting from it, ie, has no right to charge taxes.
As for stopping support to this Govt for the rich types, she will , but
at opportune moment. If she withdraws support now, SP will play merry
hell with person like Manmohanji at the head of this corrupt Govt. In
fact Manmohan is not clean after all as believed by many.
But she is support to be a part of Government? How disloyal!
Why Mamta bannerji shd protest against petrol hike. This hike has affected only the car owning rich class. The lower middle class and the ordinary people who use public transport are not affected by this petrol hike? Is she in favour of supporting the rich people who move in car?
Nice Drama, and we people are enjoying...
Petrol pricing was deregularised when Mamata was Union Minister,therefore she is as much responsible for this develpment as the Congress.How can she deny the Collective Responsiblity as Member of the Union Cabinet? Is it not hypocricy and duplicity on her and her Party's part?
why does not she threaten to withdraw support from UPA over the issue?
That strategy worked before. This smacks of just a popularity gimmick
rather than applying serious pressure on central government...
What farcical game? She seems to have forgotten she is very much part of the
government which is insensitive to the woes of the common people. Public posturing
does not earn her any credit. People are not fools. Especially the people of West
Bengal must be cursing themselves to have elected her party to power.
the great lady of our news media THE HINDU should publish the petrol
price percnt break up.what amount of tax state,central,petrol outlet
owner commission etc
Funny that a Chief Minister and her side kick Railway Minister who is part of the Central Government is protesting against their own Government. Good that the protest did not cause any law and order problem. Who are you fooling you guys? Us the people?
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