LUCKNOW, Oct. 2 -- Beating utensils and rolling pins while raising slogans such as "ghatati kamai, badhti mehengai" (incomes are falling, inflation is rising), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) workers marched from Parivartan Chowk to the district magistrate's office on Thursday, demanding measures to check rising prices and expand the public distribution system (PDS). The protesters submitted a memorandum to the President through the district magistrate, seeking immediate steps to control prices and distribute more essential commodities through the PDS. The march was led by district secretary Madhu Garg and district committee members Praveen Singh, Vandana Rai, Maya Devi, Sushila and Abdul Wahab. Protesters also raised slogans such as "control inflation or leave office". Addressing the gathering, Garg alleged that government policies had pushed up the cost of essential commodities. She claimed prices of sugar, pulses, edible oil and milk had risen sharply and alleged that high petrol prices were also a result of government policy. Praveen Singh alleged that the Centre was reducing taxes for corporate houses and waiving bank loans while the poor bore the burden of inflation. He claimed that 1% of corporate houses controlled more than 40% of income, while 50% of the poor population owned only 3%. Student leader Abdul Wahab said many students were unable to pursue secondary education and those who did often struggled to find jobs, making it difficult for unemployed people to cope with rising prices. Vandana Rai said inflation placed the greatest burden on women, forcing them to cut down on their own food.htc...