Mamata was in cabinet when petrol decontrolled: CPI-M
November 8th, 2011 - 12:04 am ICT by IANS
Kolkata, Nov 7 (IANS) Terming the Trinamool Congress protests against the petrol price hike as “doublespeak”, West Bengal’s Left Front major Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Monday noted that the decision to decontrol prices had been taken when party supremo Mamata Banerjee was a cabinet minister.
“It is nothing but doublespeak to confuse the people,” Bose said at an event here marking the November Revolution.
Bose’s comments came a day before the Trinamool MPs are slated to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to express their concern over the issue.
“When the petrol price was decontrolled, Mamata Bannerjee was railway minister - a part of the cabinet. Why didn’t she protest then,” he asked.
Bose pointed out that petrol was decontrolled on June 28, 2010 and Banerjee quit the cabinet after her party’s victory in the 2011 West Bengal assembly elections.
“When you are in the cabinet, you allow the prices to be increased. what is the meaning of protesting against the price rise now,” he asked.
All trade unions would take part in protest Tuesday against the petrol price hike and the central government’s anti-people policies, he said.
Giving a virtual ultimatum, Trinamool - with 18 MPs the second largest partner in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance - had Friday threatened to quit the coalition against “repeated unilateral decisions” to raise fuel and coal prices but Banerjee kept the decision pending and sought a meeting with Manmohan Singh, who was then in Cannes attending the G20 summit.
The price of petrol was hiked by Rs.1.80 a litre Friday, the 11th such increase in 12 months.
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- Congress wants relief for petrol hike-hit people - Nov 05, 2011
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- Friends, foes alike attack petrol hike, PM defends decontrol - Nov 05, 2011
- Diesel price hiked by Rs 5, opposition slams 'anti-people' move (Roundup) - Sep 14, 2012
- Not pulling out but will protest petrol hike: Mamata - May 23, 2012
- Mamata to march against petrol price hike Saturday (Second lead) - May 25, 2012
- Would have been happy to withdraw support, says angry Mamata (Lead) - Sep 13, 2012
- Trinamool wants to dump UPA, awaits PM's return - Nov 04, 2011
- Why is Mukul Roy absent from cabinet meetings, asks Congress - Sep 14, 2012
- Mamata 'disappointed' with petrol price hike, demands rollback (Lead) - Jul 24, 2012
Tags: cabinet minister, coal prices, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, decontrol, doublespeak, g20 summit, mamata banerjee, manmohan, manmohan singh, november revolution, petrol price hike, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, progressive alliance, railway minister, trade unions, trinamool congress, unilateral decisions, west bengal assembly elections