Left parties protest across Tamilnadu against the anti people policies of NDA Government

The CPI, and the CPI(M) on Monday staged a demonstrations across TamilNadu in protest against the Annual Budget, and Railway Budget.

Though the Union budget directly hit the common man, the statements from major Dravidian parties welcoming the budget had come as a shock, said Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said while inaugurating a demonstration held as part of State-wide agitation against the budget, he said the rail fare increase of 14 per cent was announced even before the railway budget. The government did not stop with that. In the general budget, the Finance Minister had chosen to encourage more FDI participation in key areas like defence. Similarly, the move to privatise banks and insurance sector was bound to affect the masses in the long run. The BJP had promised to introduce people-friendly measures during electioneering, but such a ‘U’ turn had only exposed its true face and colour.

When political parties like the CPI (M) had opposed it tooth and nail, the AIADMK, DMK, MDMK, PMK and the DMDK had hailed the budget. This had raised doubts over their commitment to common man, Mr. Ramakrishnan said, and charged that the BJP was simply following the Congress. Later, in a brief interaction with reporters, he demanded a CBI probe into Chennai Moulivakkam building collapse in which 61 lives were lost. Only a Central agency’s investigation would unravel the nexus among officials, politicians and builders, he added.

In Coimbatore P.R. Natarajan,while inaugurating the dharna said that the budget reflected the anti-poor, pro-rich approach of the Union Government.The government had twice raised the fuel prices, and had increased the train fare too. There would be a cascading effect on various commodities, and lead to inflation. The government had announced waiver of loans given to corporate companies. It had announced foreign direct investment in a number of sectors, which was against national interests, Mr. Natarajan said.

He said the DMK, and the AIADMK welcomed the budgets for other reasons and not based on merit. Leaders of both the parties were at the mercy of the Union Government for various reasons, he added.

In Udhagamandalam, a demonstration was held at the Independence Square on Monday. The CPI(M) district secretary, R. Badri, and the CPI district secretary, A. Bellie led the demonstrators.