Thousands in India Protest High Food Prices
By VOA
Tens of thousands of people have gathered in India’s capital to protest surging food prices.
Demonstrators marched through the center of New Delhi Wednesday, heading towards the Indian parliament building as they chanted slogans against high food costs.
India has been struggling with double-digit food inflation, which has especially affected the country’s poor.
The protesters included members of several trade unions, including one linked to the India’s ruling party.
In addition to high food prices, the government is under pressure from several corruption scandals.
The protests come a day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave in to calls for a parliamentary probe into a multi-billion dollar telecommunications scandal involving the sale of mobile phone licenses.
On Monday, President Pratibha Patil promised to increase efforts to fight corruption. She also said high inflation is hurting India’s fast-growing economy and the country’s poor.
