13 parties to bring cut motion on fuel price on April 27

Leaders of 13 parties, including the Left, today said they will move a cut motion to seek roll back in the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and fertiliser on April 27, the day they have called a nationwide general strike on the issue.

"We are carrying out the decision taken by the 13 parties to move cut motion in Lok Sabha and an amendment to the Finance Bill to demand a rollback in the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and fertiliser. A strategy has been worked out," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told a press conference in the presence of leaders of most of the 13 parties.

"The cut motion will be moved when the guillotine is applied on the demands for grants of the finance ministry on April 27," he said.

The parties, which include AIADMK, TDP, RJD, Samajwadi Party, INLD and RLD, have given a call for a nationwide general strike on the same day to protest against the UPA government's "failure" to prevent the rise in prices of essential commodities.

Explaining why an amendment to the Finance Bill would also be moved, Yechury said it was aimed at getting annulled the notification issued by the government hiking customs and excise duties on petrol, diesel and fertiliser.

"The cut motion, if adopted, will have no impact if this notification is not annulled," the CPI(M) leader said.

Referring to "speculation" that these parties were trying to destabilise the government by bringing the cut motions, Yechury said "the issue is not of destabilising the government, it is aimed at bringing relief to the people".

On the same issue, CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta said, "It is a foolish argument. Stability of the government depends on the government itself. It is not a gift of the opposition."

Those who addressed the press conference included S Thambidurai (AIADMK), Ajit Singh (RLD), Raghuvansh Prasad (RJD), Reoti Raman Singh (SP), Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI) and N Nageshwara Rao (TDP).

Thambidurai said his party was holding public meetings in Tamil Nadu on these issues, as well as to oppose the state budget, along with the Left parties. The AIADMK would fully participate in the general strike and vote for the cut motion, he said.

While Prasad said the parties had already launched struggle against price rise and held 'bandhs' in Bihar and UP, Ajit Singh said RLD would also raise issues relating to minimum support price, land acquisition and foodgrain procurement from farmers during the general strike.

"Government has not heeded to the constructive suggestions of the opposition to rein in the prices," Rao said, while Reoti Raman Singh said, "The unity of the opposition parties is unprecedented".