Priority for public weal - CPI (M) Tamilnadu Election Manifesto

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) promises to accord priority only to the public weal and adhere to the political culture of honesty and integrity. 

The manifesto of the party, released in connection with the coming elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly by its State secretary G. Ramakrishnan here on Sunday, focused on major issues like unprecedented price rise and corruption. It would also strive to get the Mullaperiyar Dam level raised to 142 ft and find a solution to various river waters issues. And it would demand early implementa-tion of the Sethusamudram project, which had been virtually shelved. 

Referring to the 2G spectrum allocation scandal, it said not only former Telecom Minister A. Raja, who happened to be a DMK member, but also the family members of Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi were accused of involvement in the scam. Besides, the manifesto lambasted the DMK government for the alleged breakdown in law and order.The acute power shortage in the State was crippling agriculture and industry. And the DMK Government had come out with no sensible plan to tide over the power situation. Hence, the CPI (M) promised steps to protect the small and minor industries, fight against FDI in retail sector, ensure food security as a fundamental right, remove power cuts and fight criminalisation of politics. It would demand filling up all the vacancies in government and public sector and a minimum remuneration of Rs.10,000 per month, providing unemployment dole of Rs.1,000 per month, and granting Rs.1000 as pension for those in the unorganised sector.

The party would also strive to get regularised all those employed in the public and government sectors. It would try to get Rs.1,500 per quintal of paddy and 3,000 per tonne of sugarcane. It would urge the government to write off all agricultural loans and ensure agricultural inputs were available at subsidised rates. Besides, it would try to get implemented all the land reforms laws , distribute fallow land of the Government among the poor and agricultural labour and demand a minimum employment for 150 days a year with a minimum daily wage of Rs.250.

Among others in its manifesto, the Left party said it will strive against the “devastating” policies of globalisation, privatisation and liberalisation and work for people-oriented policies. 

Meanwhile, CPI (M) senior leaders — general secretary Prakash Karat, politburo member Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat, will campaign at various places in Tamil Nadu on different dates, Mr. Ramakrishnan said.

(Courtesy : The Hindu)

Left Parties memorandum to EC

A Left parties delegation consisting of Nilotpal Basu (Central Secretariat member, CPI-M), D. Raja (MP & National Secretary, CPI), S. P. Tiwari (Central Committee member, AIFB), Dharmendra Verma (Central Committee member, AIFB) and Abani Roy (MP & Secretary, RSP) met the Election Commission of India on March 28, 2011 and submitted the following memorandum.

Dear Sir,

We are constrained to draw your attention to the very serious development where a Member of Parliament from the Trinamul Congress, Shri K. D. Singh, was carrying cash amounting to Rs. 57 lakhs. He was reported to have been traveling on March 24 in a private airplane from Delhi to Guwahati which is a poll-bound state and the Trinamul Congress is contesting a large number of seats.

We are also surprised by his reported claim that this money was legitimately drawn from a bank for his own business purposes. We are unaware of business activities in the present times which require such a major volume of cash movement. We are also surprised that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) who held Mr. Singh and his associates along with the money and allowed to let him go. And, most importantly, the money itself was not confiscated. We think that this is rather strange because even if the source is known, nobody can vouch for the manner of end use.

In such circumstances, we would like to draw your attention to the ongoing discussion with the EC bilaterally, as well as, in the all-party meeting on the subject of use of money power as a growing electoral malpractice. It is in the last all-party meeting on March 9, 2011 that the Hon’ble Commission had observed that any press report about alleged possible misconduct regarding electoral malpractices will be taken suo moto cognizance of and enquiry will be ordered forthwith.

Therefore, monitoring of the trail of the money found in the possession of Shri Singh and a thorough enquiry of his whereabouts and activities is urgently called for.

We hope that the EC will act urgently on this very serious development and redeem its commitment of ensuring elections uncontaminated by money power.