Ongole: Remove garbage tax, Left parties demand

Ongole (Prakasam District): The leaders of Left parties staged a protest against the increase of taxes and prices of essential commodities, in front of the district Collectorate in Ongole on Monday. They demanded the government reduction of petrol, diesel and gas prices and also reduce electricity, and RTC charges. They also demanded cancellation of the hike in property tax and removal of waste tax imposed recently.

The protest was presided over by town presidents of CPI and CPM Sd Sarda and G Ramesh respectively. Addressing the protestors, former MLC PJ Chandrasekhar criticised that both State and Central governments are working to please corporate companies and neglecting public welfare.

CPM State committee member Punati Anjaneyulu said State is competing against the Centre in increasing charges and taxes to burden the public. CPI district secretary ML Narayana demanded the Union government to clear the dues to AP, where the State government is imposing new taxes to manage economic shortage.

CPM district secretary SD Haneef alleged that the government is instigating communal riots to sideline public focus on its failure. CPI-ML district leader S Lalitha Kumari said that TDP, YSRCP and Jana Sena are supporting the Central government decisions and damaging public welfare.

All the leaders demanded the State and Central governments to reduce taxes and bring the prices of commodities down to the reach of the people.

CPM leaders Y Siddhaiah, Jala Anjaiah, Pentyala Hanumantha Rao, GV Kondareddy and Ch Srinivasa Rao, CPI leaders R Venkatrao and U Prakasarao, CPI-ML New Democracy leaders R Mohan and Kongara Narasimha, CPI-ML Liberation leader P Ramaraju and others from various parties also participated in the protest.