A large number of people took out a protest march in Dharwad on Thursday in protest against soaring prices of essential commodities, petroleum products, rising unemployment and rampant corruption.
Residents of various slums in Dharwad, surrounding villages, farmers, farm labour, women, students and youth took part in the protest march organised under the aegis of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist — SUCI-C).
The protestors who congregated at Kalabhavan Grounds marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office covering the thoroughfares of the city and raising slogans against the Union and State governments for their apathy towards the plight of the common people.
Addressing the protestors, District Secretary of SUCI(C) Ramanjanappa Aldalli said that the working class is facing hardships with prices of every essential commodity going up, while rampant corruption and growing unemployment have further burdened their lives.
“The prices of oil, rice, pulses, edible oil, vegetables have gone beyond the reach of the common people. Although people have protested en masse against these developments, the ruling disposition has turned blind and deaf. Even jobs under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act are being cut. There has been drastic reduction in government jobs also as most of them have been brought under contract system. And, there is corruption everywhere under BJP rule. Opposition parties, the Congress and the Janata Dal(S), are staging agitations keeping in mind the next elections and not out of concern for the poor,” he said.
Mr. Aldalli said that such being the case, there is a need for a united fight seeking solutions to these problems and in protest against the anti-people policies of the State and Union governments. He said that SUCI(C) will be with the people in the fight against such governments that have no concern for the poor and the working class.
Member of the district secretariat of SUCI(C) Lakshman Jadagannavar said that Dharwad District Hospital has become a pool of problems with patients being made to wait for long hours even to get treatment.
The long-pending issue of unscientific water bills levied on the public has not been resolved yet and no steps have been taken to prevent the spread of epidemics in slum areas, he added.
Member of the district secretariat Madhulata Goudar presided over the protest meeting and SUCI(C) office-bearers Gangadhar Badiger, Bhuvana, Deepa V. Sharanu Gonwar, Bhavanishankar and others led the protest march.
Subsequently, SUCI(C) office-bearers submitted a memorandum containing a charter of demands, including immediate steps to check price rise, inflation, abolition of taxes on fuel, distribution of rice, pulses, kerosene under PDS, punishment for corrupt staff, requisite measures to improve basic amenities and infrastructure.
