Defying water cannons wielded by the police in the chilling cold hundreds of activists of the left parties demonstrated at the Parliament Street in Delhi. Police even used lathis to keep the activists at bay but the latter being undeterred moved on shouting slogans against the BJP-led combine. The CPI (M) politburo member, Dr. M.K. Pandhe Central Committee Member, Joginder Sharma, CPI National Secretary Atul Kumar Anjaan and Delhi Forward Bloc leader J.P. Singh, led the protestors. The leaders of the protesting parties addressed a rally on the main road. The leaders of the protesting parties addressed a rally on the main road. Joginder Sharma warned the police against attempting to disrupt peaceful demonstration of the common people. Addressing the rally Dr. Pandhe urged the Delhi police to show its efficiency in improving the law and order situation in the country's capital instead of using forces to curb the democratic rights of the citizens. Dr. Pandhe came down heavily on the BJP-led government saying that it has put severe additional financial burden on the people by the unjustified hike to please the big business houses. He warned that the forthcoming budget was expected to be a harsh one for the common man considering the pre-budget statements of the Union Finance Minister Jaswanta Sinha. He informed that in order to build a strong resistance to the anti-people moves of this government a convention of all the left, democratic and secular parties was proposed to be held on February 20. Dr. Pandhe also announced that a nationwide call for protest has been given by the National Platform of Mass Organisations on February 22 to mount further presume on this government so that this anti-people deeds did not go unchecked. Dr. Pandhe was highly critical of the recent attacks on the Christians in different parts of the country by various outfits of the saffron brigade and asserted that the left parties would strongly oppose such cowardly acts. The CPI leader, Atul Kumar Anjaan castigated the BJP for having failed on every front during its 11-month tenure in the Government at the Centre. The BJP despite its assertion of providing the country with a "government with difference" has already proved itself as unfit to rule, he said.

Even after a peaceful general strike on February 8 in West Bengal, the State was witness to spontaneous and peaceful protests against the price rise of essential commodities effected by the BJP-led government at the Centre today (February 9). The people raised their voice in protest from the foothills of Darjeeling in the north to the Sagar islands in the south. In the city meetings were held, processions taken out and street corner meetings organized. Street meetings were also held in the outskirts at Dunlop bridge, Chiria More, Cossipore in the north, in Vidyasagar in the Central Calcutta area and in Garden Reach, Metiabruz in the south. In the extreme south in the State, in the Sunderbans area, in Patharpratima, Kulpi, Baruipur, processions were taken out protesting against the stiff rise in prices of essential commodities, of urea fertilizer and cooking gas. In the districts of North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah protest demonstrations were organized. In the North Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar people came out onto the streets to record their protest against the anti-people measures of the BJP-combine at the Centre.

Kerala witnessed a total bandh called by the LDF against the stiff rise in prices of rise, wheat, sugar sold through ration shops. The call was also for protesting the hike in urea and cooking gas. The people in the State of Kerala also condemned the misdeeds of the BJP with a pledge to remove it from power at the Centre. Life was also paralysed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in response to a call given by the Congress in protest against the BJP's policies. The CPI (M) in the J&K also simultaneously observed the "Protest Day" in the state.

The observance of the Protest Day called by the four left parties was successful in Andhra Pradesh too. A big rally was organised in the Indira Park in Hyderabad town by the CPI (M) and CPI. The main opposition party, the Congress and the newly formed Anna Telugu Deshama party sat in a dharna in the city protesting against price rise. At the Indira Park rally, the CPI (M) State Committee Secretary B.V. Raghvulu, CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy addressed the gathering. In Vijaywada protests marchers paraded through the main streets. The Congress legislature party leader P. Janardan Reddy took the initiative in the party's programmes in the city of Hyderabad.

In the Tamil Nadu capital, Chennai, and in other far-flung towns and cities, people joined the protest day programmes spontaneously. It was significant that supporters of the DMK, TMC participated in programmes organized by the CPI (M) and the CPI in raising their voice against price rise. DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and the TMC leader, Mr.G. K. Moopanar had earlier announced that their parties would join the movement of the leftist parties against the anti-people policies of the Centre. Ata huge rally held in front of the Chennai Railway Station the CPI (M) State Committee Secretary N. Shankaraiya, the CPI State Council Secretary, R. Nallakathu, the General Secretary of the TMC S. Peter Alphanso, the State Janata Dal President G. A. Vedibhelu, DMK M.P. C. Kupyuswami were all present.

In front of the main post office in Pondicherry more than three thousand protestors raised slogan against the Centre's order on increasing the price of essential commodities. TMC workers too joined the protest march with the left party workers and supporters. The protest rally was addressed by, among others, the Deputy Speaker of the Pondicherry Assembly M. Kandaswamy.

People in the state of Karnataka participated in various programmes criticizing the Centre's policies. They also demanded immediate revoking of the increased prices of rice, wheat, sugar, cooking gas and urea. Everywhere in the State memorandums to Central Government authorities were submitted demanding withdrawal of increased prices.

In Guwahati in Assam a protest meeting was organised in front of the Dignali Pukhri were several hundred people participated. The joint meeting was presided over by the AGP leader Mr. Prabin Kumar Sarma and was addressed among others by the CPI (M) State Secretary Hemen Das, CPI State Secretary Munin Mahanta and the CPI (M) leader Uddhab Barman. Hemen. Dascharged the Vajpayee government with serving the interest of the big business houses, black marketers and hoarders in one hand and impoverishing the common people on the other. The recent hike in prices of rice, wheat, sugar, LPG cylinder and Urea was savage attack on the people, he said.

The Minister and the leader of the ruling AGP in Assam, Mr. Biraj Kumar Sarma also lambasted at the decision of the Central Government to curb subsidy and increase the prices of essential items. The contribution of the BJP-led government would spell disaster to the people and the country as well, he added.