TMC workers block Howrah Bridge

Kolkata (PTI): Trinamool Congress activists on Sunday took to the streets blocking roads in several places across West Bengal against the Centre's decision to hike the price of petroleum products. Party leader Mamata Banerjee, who led the procession at Hazra crossing here, criticised the Centre for burdening the people with another hike in petroleum products.

"Prices of essential commodities were skyrocketing and this hike would have cascading effects," she said. Earlier, Banerjee had said that the Congress-led government at the Centre had increased the prices of petrol and diesel after consulting the CPI(M) and dubbed the protest by the Marxists against the price increase as a "drama". She said that "on the advice of the CPI(M), the UPA government had chosen this time to hike the price when secondary examinations were on."

The police said that the blockade had very little impact in the city. "Only three places in the city had minor blockade for 15 minutes".