By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Leader of opposition Oommen Chandy Friday alleged that the attack on outlets of retail giants in Kerala by Left activists is an attempt to divert people’s attention from the spiralling price rise of essential items and vegetables.
On Wednesday, activists of the All India Youth Federation, the youth wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI) stoned and attacked several retail giants’ showrooms across the state.
“Just to divert attention from the burning price rise and the failure of the ministry to curb the price rise, their party activists attacked retail giants,” Chandy told reporters here.
He said the CPI-M led government has been blaming the hike in petrol and diesel prices for the rise in prices of food items.
“But if you look at the price of fuel, prices are cheaper now than 18 months back when this government assumed office,” said Chandy.
“When we ruled the state from 2001 to 2006, not a single time did the then opposition bring an adjournment motion against the price rise because the government made timely intervention to check price rise. There were times when we pumped in Rs.100 million for market intervention which enabled savings of Rs.1 billion for the people of Kerala,” he said.
“The present government has failed in every aspect to control price rise. What was more shocking was that the food minister went to secure the release of his party’s activists who had been taken into police custody for attacking retail outlets,” Chandy added.
He said Food and Supplies C. Divakaran and Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran should step down for arriving at the police station to secure the release of those who were taken into custody.