Trade unions, auto drivers rally against fuel price hike

BHUBANESWAR: Protesting against the recent hike in diesel and petrol prices, AITUC and Rajdhani auto drivers' union on Sunday took out a rally in the capital. Eleven trade unions, including the AITUC, have called for a two-day nationwide bandh on February 20 and 21 demanding immediate rollback of the latest hike in fuel prices.

Shouting slogans with placards in hand, AITUC members and auto drivers in the capital staged a protest rally and described the fuel price hike as unjust.

AITUC deputy general secretary Ramkrushna Panda said, "Irrational hike in fuel prices has definitely overburdened the poor and middle class, who are already hit hard by soaring prices of essential commodities."

"Besides fuel price hike, FDI in retail, inflation and hike in railway fare are some of the key concerns. People from all walks of life must voluntarily support the two-day bandh call given by the trade unions," he added.

Panda said, "Apart from fuel price hike, auto drivers in the city face police excesses and forced to cough up heavy fine for slightest violation of traffic rules. With both the government and the commuters against auto fare hike, the drivers are feeling the heat due to fuel price hike."

Source : The Times of India, 18 Feb, 2013