Tens of thousands of Left activists rallied here Friday to protest against rising prices of essential commodities.

Carrying red flags and shouting anti-government slogans, members of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Communist Party of India, Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party marched from the Ramlila Maidan ground to the heart of the city.

Party leaders called upon the government to get serious in fighting inflation and unemployment. They also denounced what they said was growing violence on Left party workers in West Bengal.

CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat announced a day of nationwide protests April 8 to keep up the momentum against the government. He said Communists would offer themselves for arrest that day.

'In all district headquarters there will be mass picketing and court arrest programmes on April 8. We will put pressure on the government to address the problem of price rise,' Karat told the large gathering.

The organisers claimed that an estimated 100,000 people took part in the march.

CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan said the Left parties would insist on a rollback of hike in fuel prices.

Attacking the government for not taking a tough stand against Maoists, Karat said: 'Even after knowing that Trinamool Congress is supporting the Maoists, the government is not taking any action.'