Kolkata, Apr 21: The Trinamool Congress and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) have jointly called a 12-hour shutdown call in West Bengal today to protest against the Centre and State Government’s inability to control the rising prices of essential commodities.

The Trinamool and its new alliance partner the SUCI had on Friday announced the joint protest against the ruling Left Front.

“The State and the Centre have failed to initiate any action despite every other anti-price rise programme, we launched. We have called the shutdown as the State and the Central Governments have ignored public inconvenience caused by sharp rise in prices of essential commodities," said Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.

She said: “It appears they are sleeping over such a vital issue of rise in prices of essential commodities in total disregard of the burden faced by the common people. The inflation rate is going up and the Centre is unmoved. The West Bengal Government is also indifferent to the sufferings of the people.”

Her party refrained from calling a strike earlier because of schools board examinations, she added.

Earlier, Mamata led a procession of supporters of her party, SUCI and Progressive Democratic Secular Front (PDSF), a 17-party alliance led by the Trinamool. (ANI)