The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party will oppose at the State-level the nationwide strike called by 13 Opposition parties on April 27 in protest against the Centre's policies on rising prices, the party's State leadership said here on Sunday.
“The Left parties do not have the moral right to call a strike in protest of rising prices as the State government here has taken no steps to control rising prices,” West Bengal BJP president Rahul Sinha said.
Questioned about the State leadership's opposition to the bandh when several national leaders had reportedly said they were neither opposed to nor supportive of it, Mr. Sinha said that though he could not comment about the national level, his party would oppose the strike in West Bengal.
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‘Nothing has been done'
“If the Left parties cared about the rising prices and the increase in the taxes on petrol and diesel, they would have reduced the taxes imposed by the State government to ease the burden on the common man,” he added.
Nothing had been done to curb rising prices — not one black marketeer or hoarder had been arrested in West Bengal, Mr. Sinha said.
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Stating that the BJP was the only party that truly cared about the issue of rising prices, Mr. Sinha said his party had already held demonstrations registering their protest in New Delhi on April 21.
He also raised the problems of farmers in the State, especially those who grew potatoes. “Farmers are being forced to sell potatoes for the price of Rs.1 per kilo, while middlemen are still able to make substantial profits,” Mr. Sinha said.