Protest against Inflation in the national capital

NEW DELHI — In the national capital tens of thousands of people protested against surging prices on Wednesday, heaping pressure on the embattled government to help the inflation-hit poor in next week’s budget.

Streams of demonstrators, many hoisting flags emblazoned with the hammer-and-sickle communist symbol, shouted “control prices” and slogans against corruption, amid a telecom scandal which may have cost the Congress-led government up to $40 billion.

Food inflation is running at over 11 percent and consumer prices of food have risen by a massive 80 percent in six years, according to investment house Credit Suisse. Also the central bank has raised interest rates seven times in less than a year, while general annual inflation still stands stubbornly above eight percent.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which joined forces with other unions to stage the march, said it expected a turnout of up to one million people from 19 states, though the turnout could not be independently verified.

Police won’t be able to calculate the number of demonstrators who filled the streets, paralyzing city centre traffic for hours.

CITU stated the march was organised to press for the right of workers “to seek their rightful share in the country’s so-called ‘robust growth story’.”

“We need the government to control prices. Poor people can’t feed their families,” said Rishi Pal, a 52-year-old member of a farmers’ union from the northwestern state of Punjab.

India’s poor — who are key supporters of the ruling Congress party — have been hit hardest by the rise in the cost-of-living.

PM has described inflation as a “serious” threat to India’s growth and the government has tried to boost vegetable and other supplies to bring down soaring food costs.
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