Pinarayi defends hartal call

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has defended the Left parties decision to observe a nation-wide hartal on Monday, saying no one concerned about his daily bread will oppose it.

Inaugurating a building named after the late party leader C. Gangadharan in Kozhikode on Thursday, Mr. Vijayan wondered why those protesting against the hartal against the fuel price hike were unconcerned about the policies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh which, in his view, were the cause of the sharp increase in prices of essential goods.

The hike in fuel prices had to be resisted at all cost as it had come at a time when the people were groaning under the burden of increase in prices of essential commodities, he said.

Alleging that the increase in fuel prices was to promote the interests of corporates, the CPI(M) leader warned it was certain to have grave repercussions.

He announced that his party would not pull the curtains down on its protests against the fuel price hike with the hartal on Monday but would follow it up with protest marches across the State.