Udupi, Apr 24 (The Hindu): The Udupi district units of the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Janata Dal (Secular) have called for a bandh on April 27 to protest against rise in prices of essential commodities due to the policies of the Union and State governments.

Thirteen political parties have given a nationwide bandh call on that day for the same reason. P. Vishwanath Rai, member of the district secretariat of the CPI(M), told presspersons here on Friday that the Centre should roll back the hike in prices of petroleum products and fertilizers. The prices of essential commodities were beyond the reach of the common man. These parties had decided to bring in cut motions in Parliament to force the Centre to roll back the hike in the prices of petroleum products.

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in the State had increased the power tariff and bus fares, besides increasing the price of milk. Load-shedding had become the order of the day. The public distribution system in the State was in a mess. The promise made by the BJP in its manifesto of providing rice at Rs. 2 a kg had not been implemented so far. The people in the rural areas were struggling for drinking water, he said.In a meeting held on April 7 under the leadership of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in Bangalore, the leaders of the State units of the CPI, the CPI(M) and the All India Forward Bloc had decided to make the bandh a success in the State.

Besides, the support of other secular parties, farmers and Dalit organisations would be sought for the bandh, Mr. Rai said.

District Convener the CPI K.V. Bhat and leader of the Janata Dal (S) Ramprakash Shetty were present.