THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left government's budget proposal to put a cess on petrol, diesel, and liquor was the subject of ongoing protests by the opposition Congress on Saturday, calling for its repeal. 

As the Chief Minister's convoy left the state-run guest home in Kochi, a number of Youth Congress activists tried to block it by jumping in front of it and waving black flags in his direction. However, the police dispersed the agitators yelling slogans, allowing the CM's convoy to proceed.

The protesters were later forcefully bundled into the police vehicle.

The Congress party declared Saturday a "black day" throughout the state in an effort to have the idea to impose a "social security cess" on liquour and fuel dropped.

Several protest programmes including marches and siege of petrol pumps were organized under the aegis of various district congress committees .  Party sources said that mandalam committees across the state would hold protests into the night.
The convenor of the UDF, which is run by Congress, M M Hassan, sharply condemned the LDF government and claimed that the budget suggestions were a "war cry" directed at the common people.

In this regard, a decision regarding more ferocious protests would be made at the following UDF meeting.

''This is the worst budget in the history of Kerala, it is nothing but the looting of people,'' the leader added. KPCC general secretary TU Radhakrishnan said party workers would take out marches to district collectorates across Kerala on February 9 under DCCs.

When presenting the budget on Friday, Finance Minister K N Balagopal had stated that it was proposed to charge a Social Security Cess on the sale of petrol and diesel in order to complement the financial resources needed to continue defending the decent lifestyles of disadvantaged groups of society.

In the meantime, after the government decided to impose a cess on its sale, CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan attacked the media when they inquired about the impending increase in the price of fuel in the state.

He alleged that the BJP-led union government had hiked the petrol and diesel price to an exorbitant rate and the media was 'silent' over it. "It was the Center that had consistently raised the price of petrol." He stated in this passage that it was the cause of the inflation. He also indicated that the cess on liquor, petrol, and diesel was just a budget proposal and not a final decision.

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