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Ludhiana: Industrialists’ protest against increasing rate of raw materials takes ‘unique’ turn
Industrialists under the banner of Consortium of Industrial Associations sold tea at the protest site outside the office of UCPMA on Gill Road in Ludhiana
Continuing their protest against the rising prices of raw materials in a ‘unique’ way, industrialists under the banner of Consortium of Industrial Associations sold tea at the protest site outside the office of United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA) on Gill Road on Thursday.
The protest by different industrial associations entered its tenth day on Thursday.
Symbolising how the prices remain in control when the power is in hands of the government, but tend to increase rapidly when the control is shifted to private sector and big corporates, the industrialists fixed the rate of ‘Modi’ tea at ₹2 per cup and ‘Ambani/Adani’ tea at ₹500 per cup.
The industry has been demanding formation of a regulatory commission at the central level to control the rising prices of raw material and inflation in the country.
Stating that the big corporate houses are “increasing the rates by forming cartels and enjoying monopoly”, the protesting industrialists said that the prices of steel have almost doubled in the last two years.
Not only steel, but prices of other raw materials like rubber, aluminium, and nickel have also risen arbitrarily, they added.
Representatives of different industrial sectors, including bicycle, hosiery, auto parts and textile, have been participating in the protest.
General secretary of FICO Rajeev Jain and general secretary of UCPMA Manjinder Sachdeva said many of the small units were on the verge of collapsing due to the rising prices of steel and other raw materials.
“The government should fulfil the demand of the industry and form a regulatory commission, otherwise we will be forced to raise the agitation to the next level and it will be spread across the state,” they added.
Send money collected during agitation to Delhi
Accusing the Union government of favouring big corporate houses in exchange of kickbacks, the protesters sent a demand draft of ₹3,512 to the Centre along with a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, apprising him of the rising prices of raw material.
The amount was collected during the symbolic protest organised by them on Wednesday, wherein they begged from commuters.
Sachdeva stated that ₹1,500 was also collected by selling tea during the protest on Thursday and that amount will also be transferred to the PM Modi as a fund, so that the Union government pays heed to their problems
