Unberable Price Rise

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The UPA-2 regime has been marked by its utter failure to control price rise of essential commodities from foodgrains to sugar and now to onions and other vegetables. There are contradictory statements of different ministries regarding the steps required to control the price of onions, as for example whether official agencies should import onions or not. It is precisely such policies to benefit big market players, being followed by the Central Government which have led to the record food inflation which has marked its rule. Similar to the indefensible subsidies given earlier to exporting companies for the export of sugar when it was known that a shortage was looming and then subsidizing imports by helping big sugar companies to make huge profits, the UPA Government has given subsidies to onion exporting trading companies to export onions from September 2010 thus deliberately causing a shortage and is now subsidizing imports by private traders by removal of all duties. The value of onions exported was up by 26 per cent over the previous year. As a result some big trading companies as well as hoarders are making huge profits while the income of common people is being looted through high prices.

The Government has deregulated the prices of petrol leading to price hikes which have a cascading impact on the prices of other commodities. It has still refused to ban futures in essential commodities including wheat and potatoes and is now reportedly considering lifting the ban on future trade in sugar.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns these policies of the Government which has led to unbearable burdens on the people. It calls for protests against this price rise.

Untouchability Eradication Front warns of direct action

The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), will get into direct action to open the pathway leading to the agricultural lands of Dalits, which was allegedly closed by a caste-Hindu family at Kalkeri village in Denkanikottai taluk in Krishnagiri District, P. Sampath, State President of the Front, said on Thursday.

In his address at a demonstration organised by the Front before the Taluk Office in Denkanikottai, he said that in spite of several rounds of peace talks conducted by the revenue authorities, the atrocities on Dalits continued in the village.

Mr. Sampath accused the police of failing to take action against those indulging in the atrocities and those who blocked the pathway. If the authorities failed to remove the block within a month, the Front will launch direct action.

Temple entry stir

He said due to the temple entry agitation of the CPI (M), the police escorted the Dalits into the temples in the village on January 1, 2009. Angered over this, caste-Hindus blocked the pathway.

Peace talks were conducted by the District Revenue Officer and subsequently by the Sub-Collector, Hosur on June 4 this year after which the pathway was opened in the presence of the Tahsildhar of Denkanikottai the next day. But it was closed again.

(Source : The Hindu)

Centre's policies causing inflation: Prakash Karat

Communist Party of India (Marxist) General secretary Com Prakash Karat has said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's policies that encourage speculative pricing are causing the rise in prices of essential commodities in the country.

Addressing a party meeting at Pinarayi in Kannur District on Thursday to commemorate the 71 anniversary of the meeting of party leaders at Parapram here that marked the formation of the Communist Party in the State, Mr. Karat said that since the UPA government came to power in May 2009, the people in the country had been suffering from price rise.

He said that food prices inflation had now crossed 12 per cent. The price increase was not due to shortage of food items, he said adding that ever since the introduction of liberalisation, the government had been allowing big companies to indulge in futures trading in essential commodities.

Referring to the scandal over the 2G spectrum allocation, Mr. Karat said that from January 2008 to October 2010, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had not taken any action on the allegation against the then Telecom Minister, A. Raja. Mr. Raja had been compelled to resign only after the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General was out, he said. It was natural for the Opposition to demand a JPC investigation.

Com Prakash Karat also inaugurated a building in memory of the Parapram Meeting which will house the CPIM Pinarayi Area Committee office. The building too have an auditorium, library and conference room. CPIM State Secretary com Pinarayi Vijayan presided over the meeting which was attended by state committee members and district committee members. Earlier a huge mass rally of around 10000 people and Red Volunteers march were held.