(The following article is from the April 1-15, 2010 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)

By Malkeet Singh

Hundreds of thousands of Left activists hit New Delhi's roads on March 12, protesting the rising prices of essential commodities and the anti-people policies of India's NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government. They were even joined by sympathisers from centre and right-wing parties.

     The call for the March 12 rally was given by four Left parties: Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Block.

     The Left Front parties also raised the issue of rising prices in the Parliament. When not allowed by the Speaker, they walked out in protest, supported by the Socialist Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Bahujan Samaj Party (of Mayawati), Biju Janta Dal, and even the BJP.

     The base camp for the rally was at Ramlila Maidan grounds, and the main stage was at Jantar Mantar, at a distance of about 3 kilometers. People from the furthest states in the south and east camped near the stage overnight.

     The protest march started at 9 am. Files of 30 to 40 demonstrators in a row were still moving from the base camp into the evening. For the first time, women took part in very large numbers, especially from the "cow belt states" of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Muslims were also seen in very large numbers, and even a few Sadhus (godmen) from Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

     The Left parties vowed to take their fight to a logical conclusion, announcing nation wide street actions on April 8 during which they will dare the central government to arrest their cadres. The parties plan to mobilize some 2.5 million people to take part in these civil disobedience protests.