CPI(M) protests Vijaya Dairy milk price hike in Vijayawada

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged protests here on Tuesday against the recent hike in milk prices by Vijaya Dairy and demanded that the State government roll back the increase and take steps to contain the prices of essential commodities.

Addressing a demonstration at Krishna Lanka, CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao questioned how the Krishna District Milk Union could decide to increase milk prices when the dairy did not have a chairman.

He alleged that the previous chairman had been forced to resign by Ministers and questioned why the same Ministers and elected representatives were silent on the latest price hike. The government and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu should take responsibility for the increase, he said.

Mr. Babu Rao said the price increase would impose an additional burden on consumers, particularly families with children and pregnant women, for whom milk was an important source of nutrition. He also alleged that the move could prompt private dairies to increase their prices.

The CPI(M) leader said rice and other essential commodities had also become costlier in recent months, but the government had failed to intervene effectively. He demanded that subsidised rice, pulses, onions and other essential commodities be made available through the public distribution system and questioned the status of the price stabilisation fund.

Mr. Babu Rao said the CPI(M) would continue its campaign against rising prices and urged people to question their elected representatives on the issue.

CPI(M) leaders P. Krishna, B. Chinnarao, V. Gurumurthy and others participated in the protest.