New Delhi, Feb. 3: The Left parties today raised the pitch of their protest against the decision to increase the cap on foreign investment in telecom, saying they will write to United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and observe February 7 as a day of protest.

?The day will also be observed to protest the government?s other decisions like FDI in private banks, disinvestment of profit-making public sector undertakings and amendments to the protest act. These are detrimental to India?s economic sovereignty,? said CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury after a meeting of four Left parties here this evening.

The general opinion at the meeting was that the government is taking the Left?s support for granted and pushing through its economic agenda.

Major central trade unions today joined the Left parties? protest and said they are gearing up for a countrywide strike.