CPIM campaign to expose the communal agenda of RSS in Karnataka

Senior Party leader Com. Madhava addressing the workshop on communalism

The State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxists) Com G.V. Sriram Reddy, said at Mangalore on Tuesday that the Sangh Parivar is using the State’s coastal region, particularly Dakshina Kannada, as a “laboratory” for its communal experiments.

He was speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on communalism held by the party.

Mr. Reddy said Dakshina Kannada and the coastal region had a tradition of fighting injustice but the communal forces were gaining strength in the region with guidance from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and supported by the chief of Pejawar math, who pretended to be a supporter of Dalit cause by undertaking padayatra.

After Dakshina Kannada, Kerala was the laboratory for the BJP to experiment its communal agenda. The CPI (M) was against all types of communalism, whether of majority or minority, and was against fundamentalism. Unlike the Congress, which pursues votes based on religion, there was no such worry for the CPI (M), which was very that it had nothing to do with religion, he said. The BJP government had impoverished the State and was “a government on a ventilator”, whose lifeline could be pulled anytime by the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa. He said the government was communal, impoverished, and was saffronising education.

He said that a majority communalism was an issue throughout the State. As an example, he spoke about the instance of violence in Hubli following the issue of cow slaughter. Police officers, who were supposed to protect the law, were seen apologising to the wrongdoers. It showed the extent to which the BJP had used the police.He said the seeds of communalism were sown when L.K. Advani became the Minister for Information and Broadcasting.It was after this that the ‘Ramayana’ teleserial was aired on TV and the Ramjanambhoomi issue came up, he alleged. 

Several communal events had taken place in Sindgi, Belgaum, where two people lost their lives, and in Koppal, Hubli and Chintamani, he alleged. He questioned the police for filing a B report against RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for, what Mr. Reddy alleged, his provocative speech made in Uppinangady sometime ago.

In Udupi, in 2005, violence broke out against minorities but no one was sent to jail. Action was not taken against the wrongdoers in the homestay attack case, he alleged. In Bangalore, garbage had not been collected for so many days and the issue had been highlighted in the U.S. media. If a government could not clear garbage in a city, it could not do much elsewhere, he said. So much communal incidents were taking place in Dakshina Kannada but the government had done nothing to prevent such incidents. The situation had arisen in the State because of the BJP government, he said. 

K.R. Sriyan, CPI(M) Dakshina Kannada District Secretariat Member, said on the one hand, there was majority communalism, on the other hand, there was minority communalism.

The CPI(M) will launch State-wide protests against made snana at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple and against pankthi bedha (serving meals separately to Brahmins), which is supported by the BJP government, in December, said State Secretary of the party G.V. Sriram Reddy. He said a vehicle procession would be taken out from the Temple Town to Mangalore. Another vehicle procession to protest against pankthi bedha from Byndoor would end at Udupi temple. A politcal ‘jaatha’ will be held against BJP on November 20 at Basavakalyan, Ramdurg and Belgaum. — Special Correspondent

Speaking at a media meet on Monday, Oct 29, CPI(M) State Secretariat Member and Raita Sangha leader Maruti Manpade levelled a serious charge that the BJP, which was currently undergoing a turmoil, had been planning a series of communal disturbances in the state to strengthen its vote-bank in preparation of the assembly polls.

He cited the recent instances of the RSS workers obstructing Bakrid celebrations in 15 places in the state and  attack on a church in Davanagere. Similarly, RSS workers stole the Ganesh idol to implicate people of another faith, but fortunately for the people of the state, the conspiracy was busted by the police in time. The RSS workers had since been arrested, he said.

He also said that on Oct 26, the police had taken strict action against trouble-makers in old Hubli area. But when the RSS workers sat in dharna in front of the police station, the police commissioner himself went to Keshav Kunj, the RSS office, to apologize to the organization's leaders. It was just like a surrender by the police to the RSS, he said.

Manpade further said this incident, which had taken place in the chief minister's home district, wherein an IPS officer went to apologize to the RSS leaders in their own office, was highly condemnable. The governor of the state should intervene in the matter and seek an explanation from the police commissioner, he added.

Another leader of the party, V G K Nair, said that these disturbances were also being engineered to divert the people's attention away from the Haveri convention being organized by former chief minister Yeddyurappa.

To create an awareness among the people about the failure of both Union and state governments and their anti-people policies, two jathas would set out from Ramadurg in Belgaum (on Nov 18) and Basavakalyan (on Nov 19) to Bangalore, scheduled to reach Bangalore on Dec 3. Party's national secretary general Prakash Karat would take part in it, said Nair. 
(Courtesy :the Hindu)

14-day Padayatra by CPIM Khammam District committee flagged off

CPIM Andhra Pradesh State secretary and PB member Com. B V Raghvulu flagged off the 14 day ‘Sagu Neeti Sadhana Maha Rytu Padayatra’ led by the CPIM Khammam District committee for the implementation of various projects and to voice against the antipeople measures of state and central congress government. Party district secretary P Sudarshan presided over the inaugural function on the banks of the Godavari near Dummugudem on Sunday. The party central committee member T Veerabhadram, former MP Midiyam Babu Rao, and former MLAs Sunnam Rajaiah and Kunja Bujji were those present.

An overwhelming number of over 1,000 party workers and leaders clad in green shirts embarked on the 300-km-long Maha Padayatra in 18 mandals to press for allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for early completion of the pending irrigation projects mainly the Dummugudem (Rajiv Sagar) lift irrigation scheme in the district.

CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu has demanded the government cancel the “corruption- ridden Jalayagnam” and announce a new water policy in the next budget session of the Assembly to ensure expeditious completion of the need-based irrigation projects with a thrust on the upland and drought-prone areas in the State.

Addressing a huge gathering of the party cadres, including farmers at the venue adjoining the Sir Arthur Cotton canal, Mr Raghavulu alleged that the Jalayagnam had failed to create any additional ayacut as assured in spite of spending over Rs 65,000 crore under the programme till now. “The lapses pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in the implementation of the Jalayagnam and the allegations of large scale irregularities made by none other than the ruling party leaders vindicated our earlier charge that it was a ‘Dhana Yagnam’,” he said.

The corruption ridden programme should be cancelled forthwith and a comprehensive water policy should be evolved to complete the irrigation projects with a pragmatic approach, he demanded asking the other parties to spell out their stand on the issue.

Khammam district deserves top priority in irrigation sector in view of a major chunk of tribal population, he said.

He lashed out at the government for allegedly spending crores of rupees on the Dummugudem-Nagarjunasagar tail pond link canal and Polavaram projects in an unproductive manner detrimental to the interests of the farmers in the district. He appealed to other parties to extend their support to the Rythu Padayatra to espouse the cause of farmers.

CPIM leaders campaign in Himachal Pradesh

Representing an emerging third force and a new state-wide alternative through Himachal Lok Morcha, CPI(M) PB members Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat are campaigning in Himachal Pradesh, specially in constituencies in and nearing Shimla district.

Sitaram Yechury, addressing two rallies on the 30th, first at Chota Shimla and second at Sanjauli Chouk, canvassed for two CPI(M) candidates, Tikender Singh Panwar and Kuldeep Singh Tanvar, contesting from two city constituencies of Shimla-City and Kusumpty. After it's historic win in Shimla Municipal corporation, just a few months back winning both Mayor and Deputy-Mayorships in first direct election with huge margins, CPI(M) is considered having a definite advantage on these two seats. Five wards of Shimla Corporation constitute urban part of Kusumpty assembly constituency. Four of these wards gave big leads to CPI(M) while in fifth it was left behind by only a few votes. Tikender Panwar, is presently Deputy-Mayor of Shimla.

Yechury addressing very receptive crowds underlined that fact that Congress and BJP are indistinguishable not only in their policies but also in their practices, including corruption. For first time people of Himachal have an opportunity of opting really for some change and not having to alternatively choose and reject out of two more or less similar parties. He also pointed out how Congress-led UPA government's policies like FDI in  retail and privatisation cum invitation to foreign investment in Pension Funds and Insurance are sure recipes of disaster for people. But BJP's government in Himachal has also pushed in the same direction by reckless privatisation of Education and Health services.

Addressing both the rallies with people of both the constituencies, Tikender Panvar underlined that the good work done by the newly-elected Shimla Corporation can only be consolidated through CPI(M)'s representation in State Assembly as only that can change the anti-people steps of state government like water privatisation, though currently corporation has blocked the same.

 

Same day Brinda Karat addressed well attended meetings at Koti area under Kusumpty assembly constituency. Before this on 29th, she addressed a big rally at Darlaghat, campaigning for CPI(M) candidate from Arki assembly segment, Ramkrishna Sharma. Darlaghat also known for it's Ambuja Cement factory, has strong Left influence. She is campaigning on 31st in Theog for CPI(M) candidate and Party state secretary, Rakesh Singha. This rural seat of Apple rich belt of Shimla district is threatening to surprise both Congress and BJP. Sitaram Yechury continues to campaign in the coming days in two constituencies of  Shimla city. This includes a noontime meeting at government offices centre, SDA complex.   

CPIM Dharna against sexual violence on women

 

Several hundred activists of the Delhi state committee of CPI (M) held a protest dharna on 30th October at Jantar Mantar against the rising cases of sexual violence against the women and children throughout the country.

The dharna was addressed by Prakash Karat, General Secretary, CPI (M), P.M.S. Grewal, Secretary, Delhi State Committee of CPI (M) and other leaders including Asha Sharma, Nathu Prasad, Jagdish Chand, Sonia Verma (all Party State Committee members), Maimoona Mollah (JMS), Sunand (SFI), Kamala (CITU) and G. Mamatha (People’s Democracy). Vijender Sharma, State Secretariat member of the CPI (M), presided.

Prakash Karat pointed to the big increase in the cases of rapes and sexual violence against women throughout the country in the recent past. Children and young women have been the biggest victims. Governments throughout the country have not only failed to tackle these cases; but in many instances the administration, police and state machinery actually ensure that the victim is not even able to lodge a complaint. There is thus an urgent need of an effective law against sexual harassment. However successive central governments have failed to enact such a legislation. The CPI (M) will continue to mount pressure on the UPA government to ensure that such a bill is enacted in the winter session of the parliament.

Prakash Karat also stressed that laws alone will not be enough to curb violence against women. Simultaneously there is an urgent need to combat the retrograde and anti-women values that dominate society.

Various speakers also pointed the need to take this issue right to the level of mohallas, and ensure effective resistance to these regressive acts of violence.

Later a memorandum concerning increased violence against women was submitted to the Union Minister of Home Affairs. 

 

Similar  dharnas and protest meetings were held across the country against the rise in sexual violence on the women.

CPI(M) to observe the Birth Centenary of Samar Mukherjee

The CPI(M) West Bengal state committee has decided to observe the 100th birthday of the centenarian leader Samar Mukherjee. The General Secretary of the party Prakash Karat and state leaders of Left Front will also be present in that occasion. While addressing the press the Left Front Chairman and Secretary CPI(M) state committee Biman Basu announced the programme and also invited left leaderships to attend the programme.

Basu while explaining the decision to observe the birth centenary of Samar Mukherjee stated that Samar Mukherjee has dedicated his life to the party. It is indeed a rare fact that a party leader is becoming a centenarian in his life and that has influenced us taking the decision to observe his 100th birthday this year. The whole programme will be organized at the 9, Dilkhusa Street commune where the legend leader resides.

While sketching the life of Samar Mukherjee, Biman Basu stated that in earlier days of freedom struggle he participated actively in freedom struggle and became member of Pradesh Congress Committee during. Later being attracted to the Communist Ideologies he became a member of Communist Party in 1940. Since then he remained Polit Bureau member of the party, Chairman, Central Control Commission, party leader in the Parliament, and General Secretary CITU etc. He still remains an invitee member to the party Central Committee.

About the reason behind why party except for Kakababu (Mujaffar Ahmed) does not observe birthday of any leadership, Biman Basu explained that it was an exceptional situation the party was facing in 1963 when party existed in three separate wings. Some of the leaderships were in custody, some in underground, and a few were working openly. It was very difficult to organize programmes overtly to propagate ideological issues. So the leaderships in jail and underground have unanimously decided to observe the birthday of Kakababu as a weapon to propagate the political ideological issues.

AIKS statement on the Rangarajan Committee on Sugar Decontrol

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) strongly condemns the Rangarajan Committee recommendation for total decontrol of the sugar industry. This move pushed by the Congress-led UPA Government will only promote the interests of the profit seeking Corporate Sugar Mills at the expense of the farmers, consumers and the Cooperative sector. The Government is pushing for decontrol of sugar to aid the sugar lobby and big corporates who also are defaulters in terms of huge arrears that need to be paid to Cane Growers. This move is at the behest of the sugar lobby which has been demanding removal of controls and allowing for unbridled profiteering. Opinion of AIKS on the major issues raised by the Committee is given below:

On Removal Of State Administered Price: 

AIKS rejects the Committee call for ending the State Administered Price (SAP) of sugarcane set by the States in favour of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) set by the Centre as the minimum. This is against the principles of federalism guiding Centre-State relations as well as against the spirit of the Apex Court judgment in 2004 reinforcing the State Governments’ right to announce SAP. The right of the State in fixing prices must be safeguarded. It is notable that the ‘Fair and Remunerative Price’ used by the Central Government is a deceptive term and is far below the cost of cultivation in all States. In the name of “Rationalisation of Sugar Cane Pricing” the Committee is pitching for the discredited FRP which is neither “Fair” nor “Remunerative”.  This move is against the interest of the Cane Growers. 

On Removal of Levy Sugar Obligation: 

AIKS rejects its recommendation that the levy sugar obligation and administrative control on non-levy sugar must be immediately ended. Under this obligation mills are required to sell 10 per cent of their production to the Government at below market price for the poor under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The Committee also suggests that the States that wanted to provide sugar under the TPDS might procure from the open market through competitive bidding, and then fix an issue price. It also has asked the Government to “rationalize” the current issue price for TPDS sugar. The Food Ministry is reported to have already proposed to double the issue price to around Rs. 23/Kg. This move is going to have a cascading effect on the prices of sugar for the TPDS beneficiaries and States will end up coughing out huge resources for buying sugar from the open market for TPDS supply. The price of sugar in the open market will also sky rocket. In effect the move is against the TPDS and the poor. It has to be noted that earlier the levy sugar obligation was 65 percent and 35 percent alone was for the open market. This had been gradually altered to 10 percent levy sugar and 90 percent for open market. By doing away with the obligation of even 10 percent levy sugar the Government intends to allow a free hand to Private players to fix prices.

On Removal Of The Cane Reservation Area: 

The Committee has suggested the removal of the concept of a Reservation Area of a minimum distance of 15 km between any two sugar mills. As of now it is obligatory that a mill buys cane from growers within the reservation area. Instead the Committee suggests that mills must enter into contracts with farmers and the Cane Reservation Area and bonding must be phased out. This move will only promote monopolies of big corporate sugar mills and destroy the Cooperative sector. Companies will no longer be bound by any agreement on Government fixed prices. It will open the way for loot by the sugar lobby and Cane Growers will be at the mercy of Private players.

On Tagging Order: 

The Committee recommends that the mills must share 70 per cent of the value of sugar and each by-product, including bagasse, molasses and press-mud as cane dues payable to farmers for supplies. The payment to farmers will be made in two steps: the first, the minimum FRP set by the Centre; and the second, subsequent to the publication of half-yearly ex-mill prices. The Tagging Order earlier was 80 percent of the value of sugar and each by-products and the Committee has only reduced it further to the detriment of the Cane-Growers. The Mills have also defaulted on paying this amount. They have arbitrarily fixed the recovery rate often much below the actual and reports of fraudulent weighing of produce are rampant. The Sugar Mills’ word is taken as final on both recovery and weighing and there is no check on them. Cane Growers never really have benefited from value of by-products. There is no mechanism in place to ensure that the Cane Growers get any share of the value of by-products. In such a context to give a free unregulated role to the Sugar Millers will only lead to their strangle-hold over the market.

On Export and Import Policy: 

The Committee in the name of a stable trade policy calls for outright ban or doing away with quantitative restrictions once and for all. It calls for liberalisation of sugar trade over a two to three year period in a calibrated and phased manner. It suggests a moderate duty on imports and exports and suggests that Export and import policy should not be guided by domestic availability. It argues for promoting exports by arguing that even though India contributes 17 per cent to the global sugar output, its share in exports is only four per cent. It also keeps the doors open for imports from outside as well as the possibility of dumping of sugar by calling for an outright ban on quantitative restrictions. We have seen the adverse impact of withdrawal of quantitative restrictions and import duties as well as linking of prices to the volatile world market prices in the case of other commercial crops. While farmers bear the brunt of falling global prices, the Corporate Mills earn huge profits when global prices rise without transferring any benefit to farmers. Like in the case of decontrol of Seed industry, Fertiliser industry, Pesticide industry and Petroleum industry, the move will only lead to increased prices for the consumers and unending profits for the Companies. 

AIKS calls upon the State Units to rise up in protest against this move and resist this retrograde move tooth and nail. AIKS demands that the Government reject these recommendations and a Comprehensive Sugarcane Policy be evolved through consultation with the Cane Growers and Peasant Organisations. 

SFI Sweeps Hyderabad Central University Polls

Students Federation of India swept the polls in the election to students union of Hyderabad Central University. SFI bagged all major executive posts in the Union including President, Vice President, General Secretary Joint Secretary and GS CASH with a clear majority defeating its major opponent ABVP and opponents like NSUI, Telangana Students Association etc.

SFI candidates, Amjad Basha(President) , Vasista Reddy (Vice President), Arvind Kumar (General Secretary) and Vani Prashamsa (Joint Secretary),Uma Bharathi (Gender Sensitivity Committee Against Sexual Harassment,GS CASH) registered their victory by securing a total of 1084, 1082, 1030, 1117 respectively `with a clear margin of 21, 220, 37, 120, 25 votes.

NSUI and Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) alliance came third and Telangana Front stood fourth in these polls, results of which were declared just now.

SFI approached the elections with a clear cut manifesto upholding its uncompromising stand against the privatisation and commercialization of education and its unparalled zeal to preserve  the secular fabric of the campus. Reacting to the victory, SFI unit committee stated that the mandate proves a strong message against the communal politics of ABVP and the neo-liberal education policies followed by the UPA government.
 
During the last two years SFI contested  Students Union polls in alliance with ASA. However this year SFI went alone on the basis of the struggles it waged against the unjust policies of university administration in matters related to increase in hostel fees and the scrapping of BBL fellowships for the students which it could successfully resist through its pertinent role in the Students Union. SFI HCU unit committee thanked the student community for the support.

Both SFI and DYFI state committee congratulated newly elected SFI representatives in the students union.

CPIM Releases Poll Manifesto for Himachal elections

Communist Party of India- Marxist on Saturday offered a third alternative to the people of Himachal through its election manifesto for the coming assembly election, that was released by the senior party leaders at Shimla. CPIM recommended the need for a peoples’ alternative against the anti-people and neo liberal policies being pursued by both the BJP and Congress while announcing its political agenda before the polls.

State Secretariat members Dr Onkar Shad, Dr Kuldeep Tanwar and Tikender Panwar in a joint press conference announced that for a first time after 1990 a joint front comprising of CPI-M, CPI and Himachal Lokhit Party, is fighting on all 68 seats of the State assembly. The party will contest 15 seats.

It is a result of our persistent struggle against the mainstream parties who were chasing the pro-rich, pro-corporate neo liberal agenda from past two decades, that we have come in a position to challenge them today”, said the leaders.

 

Exposing the dismal financial condition of the hill State, the party demanded a special status to the hill State again which was lost during the 9^th Finance Commission recommendations. The tough social and geographical conditions in the State should be reconsidered and it should be provided an extra grant of Rs 1000 crore for protecting its forests and environment, every year. The party also demanded 10 percent royalty on every per unit of electricity it is producing in the State and an increase in the 12 percent distress cost it is getting so far. The State should also be allowed to charge a levy on cement and other industries and the industrial package snatched by the Congress led UPA-II government should also be restored for the industrially backward hill State.

The CPI-M has promised a daily wage of Rs 300 to the workers and 70 percent reservation to the people of Himachal in all jobs generated in the state. With an emphasis on self employment it has assured an unemployment allowance of Rs 1000 per month to all the jobless people in the State, if voted to power. It has insisted for more subsidies to the farmers in distress and an emphasis and special incentives for the organic farming in the State. A 90 percent subsidy has been demanded for the anti hail nets to save the produce of farmers.

The left leaders have suggested a strict implementation of the recommendations of the regulatory authority that has been made to check the functioning of private universities and other educational institutions that have mushroomed up in a large number in the State. The outsourcing in health services should be immediately stopped and more medical staff should be sent to the remote and tribal areas of the State. More food stuff should be given in the PDS to the poor and marginal people of the State, said the CPI-M.

The infrastructural facilities should be improved and roads that are life lines in hills should be given a top priority. The party has promised fast track courts for deciding the corruption cases, vigorously fighting the FDI in retail, more powers to the urban and rural local bodies, forest and timber rights and eradication of wild animal menace from the State. (Courtesy : Hill post)

Neoliberal Agenda is Causing Social Disarray : Prakash Karat

Plenty of neo-liberal projects are not causing political and economical disorders only; they are resulting in enormous chaos and massive attack on the democratic space inspiring social disarray, said Prakash Karat, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on the occasion of the 93rd foundation day of the party. The Kolkata District Committee of the party had organised a discussion program at the Pramod Dasgupta Bhavan in Kolkata. He said that attacks on the female citizens are on all time high throughout India; it is not the distress of law and order only, it has its roots deep beneath the social frenzy caused by the neo-liberal installation. Commodity logic of open market economy is showing its dual destructive impact by seizing popular democratic rights and on the other hand it is re-aspiring medieval conservatism.

CPI(M) would set forth for organizing Protest Day all over the country on 30th of October 2012 on the issue of growing number of crime and attacks on women demanding social security for them. Karat uttering on this program said, wherever be the democratic space of the people get breached by the neo-liberal installations, communist party would be there to protest and demand for roll-back of anti-people projects and insist on baring the hands of neo-liberalism.

Karat reminded the party members that communists are sworn to intensify the continuous struggle against imperialism and now it is their responsibility to defend independence and sovereignty of this country from the fraudulent attacks of finance capital. The Left Front Government was the prime apparatus of the communists to ban crime against female citizens in this state for a long time. But now with the TMC Government in power, female citizens are experiencing unprecedented attack. The first female CM of the state astonished us all by not taking any stern stapes to curb those crime rather she is all busy with cover up acts that tends to defend the miscreants.

Commenting on allowing FDI in Retail trade in India he said that the Government has done serious mistake by bypassing the parliament. He said that this sort of serious issues must have to be discussed in the parliament and then decided. Government must call upon for ballots in parliament on this issue to check what the mass representatives of that house are thinking. He discussed all the cons of this policy and how it is going to affect the livelihood of the Indians. He also raised the issue of epidemic of corruption by discussing coal block scam and discrepancy surfaced on Robert Bhadra’s land and many other, he opined that in every sort of scams and discrepancies the collaborations of ministers and big corporate and bureaucrats. Someone cannot turn to be corrupted overnight; it is the effect of intensification of capital as a whole. The state is intervening to serve for the growth of profit for the bourgeoisie. Where corporations like Wal-Marts are in the scene to occupy the market, how could one expect national sovereignty and independence to dwell in this society?

The CPI(M) West Bengal State Committee’s Secretary Biman Basu and Polit Bureau member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee were also present at this program.

CPI(M) demands formation of mineral development corporation in Goa

 

Hundreds of CPI-M workers converged at the Azad Maidan in Panaji capital city of Goa after winding through the main streets of the city on Wednesday morning demanding immediate resumption of legal mining and compensation to the people affected directly or indirectly due to ban on mining operations in the state. They also demanded formation of Goa Mineral Development Corporation. 

 

CPIM Central Committee member and CITU All India President Com Tapan Sen charged political parties for alleged mining irregularities in the state as well as in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Com.  Sen stated that private mining firms and government officials are responsible for the present mining industry crisis and as such they should be brought to book and punished accordingly for the mining scam.

He demanded immediate resumption of legal mining or some kind of assistance to those who are directly or indirectly affected by halting of mining operations. "The initiative should come from the central government as well as from state government to compensate these stakeholders of mining industry," he stated. He further said that nearly one lakh workers have been affected due to ban on mining and if there are four members in a family then the equation comes to nearly four lakh people and added that this is a very big number for a small state like Goa. He said that mine owners are now shying away from their responsibility and are well aware that there is no demand for iron ore either in European or Chinese markets so they are silent and "once the demand goes up then slowly they will reopen and export the ore for better price." "This is not the case of Goa alone similar situation is prevailing throughout the nation wherever there are mines and ore is being expor ted," he stated. He said that if Goan ore extraction is 67 million tonnes per year the mines will be exhausted or closed for want of ore. He said it should be streamlined through formation of Goa Mineral Development Corporation.

CPI-M Goa State Secretary Com Thalmann Pereira cautioned that if legal mining was not resumed with immediate effect they would make ‘life miserable’ for the concerned ministers and MLAs. Com. Jatin Naik and Com. Sugandhi Francis vice-president of Akhil Bhartiya Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana, also spoke.