Sri Vijaya Puram | March 18, 2026
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] organized a mass demonstration in front of the Municipal Council at Aberdeen Bazar, Sri Vijaya Puram, on Wednesday evening, raising concerns over the recent hike in LPG cylinder prices, recurring power cuts, and curtailment of water supply.
Inaugurating the demonstration, former CPI(M) State Secretary K.G. Das criticized the Central Government for the recent increase in LPG prices. He linked the hike to global geopolitical tensions, stating that developing countries like India are bearing the brunt of the conflict involving Iran and the US-Israel alliance.
Addressing the gathering, D. Ayyappan, Secretary of the CPI(M) Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee, expressed concern over the broader impact of the conflict on third-world countries. He alleged that the Central Government has remained silent on what he termed an “unjustified” attack on Iran, deviating from its earlier stance of condemning such actions.
Ayyappan also raised apprehensions about the possible shortage of LPG cylinders and petroleum products in the near future, both across the country and in the islands. He further criticized the administration over what he described as unjustified curtailment of water supply in municipal and rural areas, and blamed the BJP-led government for persistent power cuts in the islands over the past several years.
Several party leaders, including P. Sathyapal, Secretary of the Port Blair City Area Committee, senior leader P. Banerjee, and R. Surendran Pillai, also addressed the gathering. The demonstration was led by CPI(M) State Secretariat Member Dr. Gouranga Majhi, State Organising Committee Member S.P. Kalairajan, and Area Committee Members B.C. Bhattacharjee and K.G. Samkutty. A large number of residents from across Port Blair town participated in the protest.
Meanwhile, a similar demonstration was held in Diglipur in front of the office of the Assistant Commissioner, where a large number of people took part. CPI(M) State Organising Committee Member Ramjeeban Sarkar inaugurated the programme, while Sunil Bepari addressed the participants. The demonstration was led by Dilip Karmakar, along with Area Committee Members Anil Halder and Barun Biswas.
