Tuesday, June 6 2006 17:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Left parties today (June 6, 2006) decided to observe an all-India protest day on June 13, coinciding their call with that of the central trade unions, to protest the hike in prices of petrol and diesel and demand a rollback.

Samajwadi Party, TDP and Asom Gana Parishad have also decided to join the nationwide protest on that day, the Left parties said adding other non-Congress, non-BJP parties were being contacted to join the action programme.

The CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc have also asked their state units to immediately carry out demonstrations, rallies and picketing in various parts to culminate in the nationwide protest action on June 13, the parties said in a statement.

The central trade unions had yesterday decided to observe a countrywide protest on June 13 on the same issue, to be held in different parts of the country.

The Left parties said the protest actions would also include courting arrest and general strike and asked the state units to decide at their level what form of protest action could be undertaken.

Meanwhile, RSP leader Abani Roy demanded a rollback of the hike. He lashed out at Finance Minister P Chidambaram saying he was not working for the common people as he had ignored the alternative proposals submitted by the Left parties, which could have reduced the burden on the people.