The Railway Minister, Mr Mukul Roy, led a Trinamool Congress protest march with other party leaders and State Ministers in the metropolis today, to protest the steep hike in price of petrol and demand its rollback.
The processionists marched from the Hazra crossing in South Kolkata to the Gandhi statue on Mayo Road in Central Kolkata, a distance of about five km under the scorching sun.
Trinamool Congress leader, Mr Madan Mitra, who is the Transport and Sports Minister told reporters “We did not call for a bandh or road blockade to oppose the hike. We are registering our opposition through street protest at the instruction of our leader Ms Mamata Banerjee.”
Stating that the Trinamool Congress was a pro-poor party, he said “We are against the price hike. We are the most important ally of UPA, but we have not been consulted. We cannot accept this burden on the common people.”
The processionists shouted slogans and carried posters against the price hike of petrol.
The posters demanded that the Centre should reply why the price of petrol was increased and the party would not accept it.
Municipal Affairs Ministers, Mr Firhad Hakim; Fire Services Minister, Mr Javed Khan, party MP, Mr Subrata Buxi, Trade Union Wing President, Mr Dola Sen, chief whip, mr Sobhandeb Chattopadhhya, also took part in the procession. Mr Khan claimed “The message that the Trinamool Congress is on the streets has already reached the Central Government. We have heard that the Centre is already mulling partial rollback of the price.”