DMK chief seeks support of all sections for Bharath Bandh

Conveying his party’s “whole-hearted support,” DMK president MK Stalin said the party workers would “enthusiastically take part and cooperate to make the shutdown a complete success.”

The DMK chief urged all sections of people, including government employees, teachers, traders and state transport corporation workers, to voluntarily support the bandh to “teach the BJP government a fitting lesson.” 

It was a matter of concern and anguish that fuel prices were rising fast to touch the Rs 100 per litre mark, he said in a statement, adding that even when crude prices fell, the Centre had not passed on the benefit to the people.

Accusing the BJP government of not being bothered about the public or their purchasing power, he alleged that the Centre did not take any steps to rein in the “dangerous and unprecedented” fuel price rise and stop the slide of the rupee against the dollar.

Stalin accused the oil marketing companies of putting on hold the hike in fuel prices only during elections in states favourable to the BJP and increasing it after conclusion of polls.

He said the government has “pushed the people to the streets” to protest against the price rise.

The Congress had on Thursday called a Bharat Bandh to protest against the rising fuel prices. It had said that the nationwide shutdown has the support of most of the opposition parties.

Meanwhile, the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president and PWD Minister A Namasivayam on Friday called upon all  political parties and all sections of the people in the union territory to support the Congress-sponsored Bharath Bandh on September 10.

In a statement Namasivayam alleged that the Narendra Modi government is harassing the people of the country on a day to day basis. 

The price of petrol, diesel and gas is skyrocketing and the development of the country is now a question mark, Namasivayam said, adding that these items are not being brought under the GST to enable the oil companies to make profit. 

“Modi government has ruined the economy of the country through demonetisation and GST etc. and the price of essential commodities has sky-rocketed. All promises of Modi were proved to be fake and he has stalled the development of the country,” he added. Namasivayam called up on all parties to support the Bharat Bandh.

Towing the line with Bharat Bandh called by Congress to condemn the massive hike in fuel price, the Left parties had called for a nationwide strike on the same day to pressurise the BJP-led Union government. 

The left parties, CPI, CPM, CPI (Marxist-Leninist) and Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), held a meeting at the CPM office on Friday and condemned the hike in fuel price.

“Because of the economic policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders have skyrocketed and due to the massive hike economically disadvantaged section of people are facing untold problems,” said the Left leaders.

They also said that despite the reduction in crude oil price at the global market the benefit was not passed on to the people. “Small and micro scale enterprises and essential commodities are priced high following the continuous hike in excise tax of the Union government in the last four years. Even the state government is refusing to lower the duty on fuel price,” said the leaders. 

To condemn the economic policy of the Union government a nationwide strike had been called on September 10 by the Left parties and they have also asked the political parties and all section of working classes such as farmers, labourers, students, government employees, teachers, drivers and businessmen to extend support for their strike.

DMK president MK Stalin launched an all-out attack on CBI for not arresting Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar, and DGP TK Rajendran for obtaining bribe in the Gutka case while arresting the middlemen in the case, who delivered the bribe amount. 

“Madhav Rao, the person who bribed the officials and Rajendran, the middlemen who handed over the bribe to the officials, were arrested but Vijaya Baskar and Rajendran, who received the bribe were not arrested. Why is CBI hesitating to arrest them based on the evidence collected in the raid,” questioned Stalin.

He also said that the CBI should ensure that the accused are arrested, and rule of law is established in the case. “CBI should immediately arrest them both and establish that all are equal before law,” said Stalin. 

He further said that even the state government is silent on the issue and is hesitant to take action. “If a complaint is filed against a constable state government will immediately suspend the concerned person but when such a huge scam had broken out the state government and the Governor are deliberately silent on the issue. Governor’s silence in the issue is even more shocking,” said Stalin. 

Quoting the diary recovered during the raid, Stalin said that Rs 60 lakh was given to the then Commissioner of Police on April 21, 2016, May 20, 2016, and June 20, 2016. Similarly, Rs 56 lakh was given to Health Minister, between April 1, 2016, and June 15, 2016, said Stalin. 

“The CBI raid had brought shame to the government as the Minister and DGP were kept under house arrest and the entire Tamil Nadu police could not function for a single day,” added Stalin.