Chandigarh: Attacking the Centre over
spiralling prices of essential commodities, the CPI(M) today
demanded an immediate ban on future trading in food articles
and reduction in petroleum prices by cutting indirect taxes.
The rising prices of sugar, cereals, pulses, vegetables
and milk reflected the utter failure of the Congress-led
government in checking food prices and inflation, CPM general
secretary Prakash Karat said today while addressing a press
conference here.
"It is not the states but the Centre which is responsible
for the rising prices. The recent note issued by the Cabinet
Committee on prices shows that the Centre wants to shirk its
own responsibility by blaming the states," Karat claimed.
He said the sugar prices rose because the Centre failed
to build a buffer stock and instead the government
incentivized exports helping big traders.
The CPM leader demanded that the Central government
release cereal stocks through the PDS by increasing rice and
wheat quotas of the states.
The government in coordination with states must launch a
nationwide crackdown against hoarders and black marketeers, he
added.
PTI
