Mangalore, Feb 13(TOI): Leading trade unions including CITU, AITUC, HMS, INTUC, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU and UTUC will stage a mammoth protest demonstration in front of the Parliament on February 23. Their agenda includes price rise, unemployment, and disinvestment in public sector companies, seeking due implementation of various law welfare measures and social justice and security for labourers in the unorganised sector.

B Madhava, vice-president, CITU Karnataka state committee told reporters on Wednesday that the life of common man has been hit hard due to unprecedented price rise. The union government is indifferent to the woes of the common man weighed down by the price spiral, he said, adding the recent reported statements by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the planning commission on the issue on foreign soil reveals lack of sensitivity.

On the rapid increase in price of petrol seven times in as many months in recent past, Madhava said more than half the price of petrol is made up of customs and excise duties imposed by the union government. The current price of crude oil in the international market is hovering around $80-90 and this should translate not to more than Rs 25 per litre of petrol. The union government must reduce customs, excise duties on petrol to tackle inflation.

Lakhs of labourers have lost their jobs due to recession. The government must increase spending in public sector units, and also take steps to check massive violations of labour laws. There are unwarranted roadblocks in the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008; he said adding that the trade unions would raise their concerns on these issues.