Thousands march in Delhi against embattled govt

Demonstrators attend a protest rally in New Delhi February 23, 2011. Tens of thousands of trade unionists, including those from a group linked to ruling Congress party, march through the streets of the capital on Wednesday to protest food prices, piling pressure on a government already under fire over graft.
Credit: Reuters/B Mathur

By Krittivas Mukherjee

NEW DELHI, Reuters,  Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:33pm IST

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – At least 100,000 trade unionists marched through New Delhi on Wednesday in a protest against high food prices and unemployment, piling pressure on an administration under fire over corruption scandals.

The demonstration was the biggest in New Delhi in years and included members of a trade union linked to the ruling Congress party, reflecting disquiet within the party over food inflation which hit a high of over 18 percent last December.

It was also the latest in a wave of protests that have swept the world, ignited by a worldwide spike in food prices. But unlike the protests that have toppled autocratic leaders, there have been no calls to overthrow India’s democratic government.
“We have come here so that our voices reverberate inside the house (parliament) and they can see what pain the common man is going through,” said Akhil Samantray who had come from Orissa to take part in the march.

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