17 major opposition parties are gearing up for Monday (July 5) nationwide Bharat Bandh to protest fuel price hike, Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav said in Delhi on Friday.
The parties are : BJP, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, JD-U, CPI-M, CPI, Forward Block, RSP, AIADMK, PMK, MDMK TDP, BJD, JD(S), AGP, Akali Dal and INLD.
The parties have sought the support of trade unions, traders bodies, youth organisations and student wings for their nation-wide 'Bharat Bandh, Yadav said.
"All preparations have been made for the Bharat Bandh, which will be a historic one. We are working on a war-footing to bring everyone together and are talking to TUs, traders bodies, youth organisations and student bodies to get their support for the bandh," Yadav told reporters in New Delhi.
In a concerted effort by opposition parties to take on the government on the issue of fuel price hike, the BJP-led NDA and Left parties have separately given the call for Bharat Bandh on the same day.
"The ruling party has been under the misconception that the opposition is divided. This bandh call has broken the myth and showed that the entire opposition is one on the issue of price rise. This unity of the opposition will continue from the streets to Parliament," Yadav, who is also the convenor of NDA, said.
Most of these political parties have their affiliated trade unions, which are expected to join the nation-wide bandh. Yadav said that Hind Mazdoor Sangh has already extended its support to the bandh.
Lashing out at the Central government and Congress, the JD-U chief said,"this government has completely failed to control prices...it has given the impression of being helpless and has not at all been sincere in its efforts to check price spiral."
Likening the the situation to one during the Emergency days, he said, "The moment has come now to revolt against this government's actions." He said agriculture production has also come down due to "wrong policies" of the government.
Yadav claimed the Bharat Bandh will be "a strong protest against the misrule of Congress and UPA." He urged the people of the national capital "to wake up" and "shake this government up".
"Check prices or leave the chair (Dam roko ya gaddi chhoro), price rise affects all communities (Hindu Muslim Sikh, Isai, sabke ghar me hai mahangai)," will be some of the Opposition's slogans during the agitation, he said. All essential services like supply of water, milk, electricity, hospital and emergency services will be exempt from the purview of the bandh.
Slamming the government for "failing" to check spiralling prices, BJP on Friday requested all opposition parties to join hands for the July 5 nationwide strike to oppose the "anti-people policies of the Congress-led dispensation".
"The issue of spiralling prices is not limited to one party alone. I request all political parties to honestly get associated with the issue and oppose the government," party president Nitin Gadkari told reporters in New Delhi.
He said this in response to a question on whether parties including SP and RJD which had not supported the opposition- sponsored cut motions in Lok Sabha during the Budget session were with BJP on the issue of organising a nationwide bandh.
Mounting an attack on Congress leadership, Gadkari wondered why party chief Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi were silent on the issue of inflation. "They make observations on various issues. But I do not understand why they are silent on price rise," he said. Gadkari asked the Prime Minister whether he was only concerned about the problems faced by oil companies and not the "plight of the common man".
"The prices of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene were increased to help oil companies tide over their losses. But what about the poor man...who is on priority, the oil companies or the common man," he asked.
With Monsoon Session of Parliament slated to commence from July 26, he said the party would present to the President a memorandum against price rise signed by 10 crore people on day one of the session.
When asked whether BJP-ruled states would be making efforts to bring down fuel prices by reducing taxes associated with the sales, Gadkari said most of the taxes are levied by the Central government and the states had little role to play.
To a poser by a reporter on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar "making more efforts" for ICC elections than bringing down food inflation, Gadkari said he blamed all ministers for the situation. "I blame all ministers in UPA for the present situation," he said refusing to single out the NCP chief. He said while the party would like all commercial establishments to support the bandh call, it would not like essential services to be disrupted during the 12-hour strike.
When asked whether police in BJP-ruled states would help "enforce" the bandh, he said in a democracy while police will do its job, as a political party BJP would fulfil its role. He said the UPA government has ignored its demands for a 'white paper' on price rise and has made no efforts to lessen the plight of the common man. PTI
