Hundreds of thousands of Indian people protest against high food prices and unemployment

In light of revolutions in the Arab world, Indian people started their own revolution…

According to press reports, at least 100,000 trade unionists marched through the Indian capital Wednesday in a protest against high food prices and unemployment, piling pressure on an administration under fire over corruption scandals.

The demonstration was the biggest in New Delhi in years and included members of a trade union linked to the ruling Congress party, reflecting disquiet within the party over food inflation which hit a high of over 18 percent last December.

It was also the latest in a wave of protests that have swept the world, ignited by a worldwide spike in food prices. But unlike the protests that have toppled autocratic leaders, there have been no calls to overthrow India's democratic government.

The Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which joined forces with other unions to stage the march, said it expected a turnout of up to one million people from 19 states, though the turnout could not be independently verified. The march was organized to press for the right of workers "to seek their rightful share in the country's so-called 'robust growth story'," said a CITU statement.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described inflation as a "serious" threat to India's growth and the government has tried to boost vegetable and other supplies to bring down soaring food costs.