Mamata to lead all-women rally in Siliguri today, protest with empty gas cylinders

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee will lead an all-women rally in Siliguri on Sunday to protest against the spiralling price hike of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

After reaching Bagdogra Airport on Saturday afternoon, the Trinamool chairperson said: "We will protest with empty gas cylinders. The prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas have gone up abnormally and as a result, prices of essential commodities have gone up too. Under such a situation, women find it extremely difficult to run the household. The BJP leaders who are coming to Bengal now and then are silent on this key issue."

The rally will start from Darjeeling More and end at Venus More. The participants of the rally termed the "cylinder rally", will carry empty gas cylinders as a mark of protest. Chandrima Bhattacharya, president of Trinamool Mahila Congress, said it was only Mamata Banerjee, the only Chief Minister in the country who raised her voice against the failure of the BJP-led Centre to control the prices of petroleum products and cooking gas.

Banerjee will take part in a procession from Moulali to Dorina Crossing on International Women's Day on Monday, March 8. After coming to power in 2011, Banerjee took several steps for women empowerment. Kanyashree project, which has helped girls to carry on with their studies from class VIII to the Post-Graduate level, has benefitted 68 lakh girls and around Rs 6,300 crore have been spent so far for the purpose. A sum of Rs 25,000 is given to the girls during their marriage under the Rupashree scheme and Sabuj Sathi has helped to bring down school dropouts among girls.

Bhattacharya said all the women leaders and workers will take part in the rally on March 8.