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Raising the heat on the Congress over the Bhopal gas issue, senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Monday demanded that the party tender an apology to the country for allegedly providing safe passage to Warren Anderson in the aftermath of the disaster.
“The Congress should tender an apology to the nation for giving safe passage to Warren Anderson,” Ms. Karat, a Rajya Sabha MP, said at a public rally here.
At a function in Bangalore, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on Monday said it was improper to let Anderson leave the country, but refused to blame any Congress leader at this stage.
Ms. Karat also demanded a comprehensive and independent inquiry in the matter saying the Group of Ministers (GoM) set up by the UPA government would not be able to probe the failure on the part of the government, judiciary and other agencies following the gas disaster in 1984.
“The UPA government has devised a tool in the form of GoM to put sensitive issues on the back burner,” Ms. Karat said.
Ms. Karat also accused the NDA regime of serving the interests of landlords by refusing to implement recommendations of the D. Bandyopadhyay Commission on land reforms in Bihar.
Addressing a rally taken out by the All India Kisan Sabha and All India Agricultural Workers Union, the CPI(M) politburo member alleged that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced that Bandyopadhyay Commission recommendations would not be implemented as he was under pressure from big landlords.
After becoming chief minister in 2005, Kumar had set up the Land Reforms Commission under D. Bandyopadhyay, credited as a key architect of land reforms in West Bengal. The commission submitted its report to the government in 2008.
Ms. Karat asked her party members to launch a movement demanding implementation of the commission’s recommendations.
Castigating the anti-labour policies of the UPA government, divestment in public sector units and corruption, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan called for struggles against the wrong economic decisions of the State and Central governments in collaboration with different sectors of people.
Addressing a public meeting here on Sunday organised to mark the three-day 12th AP State conference of CITU, he assailed corruption stating that around Rs.20,000 crore was involved in the 2G spectrum deal that was concluded by Union Minister A. Raja and this was only the tip of the iceberg. The Kerala Chief Minister who delivered his speech in Malayalam, which was translated into Telugu by a CPI(M) leader, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not do anything as the UPA government was at the mercy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
LDF implementing pro-poor programmes
Comparing the performance of the Congress and the BJP governments in various States with that of the LDF Government in Kerala, its Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan gave a detailed account of the welfare measures being implemented there highlighting the difference in policies.He said 1,500 farmers who committed suicide had been given Rs.50,000 as ex gratia, loans taken from co-operatives were waived and interest-free advanced provided.
An impressive rally was taken out from the Railway Grounds to the old Jail Road, the venue of the public meeting. The paddy support price was increased from Rs.7 a kg to Rs.12. While other government were closing down PSUs, in Kerala PSUs were run and brought into the green.
In the power deficient State, MPs, MLAs and sarpanches parted with a part of their allowance and with contribution from the electricity board energised the entire Palakkad district, Mr.Achuthanandan said. By the time the government completed its term, the entire State would get electricity.
Also land was distributed among 4.3 lakh persons during the last four years under a scheme named after stalwart EMS Namboodiripad. Land at the Munnar tourist centre was recovered from corporates.
House-sites were given and two lakh houses constructed for the poor and another three lakh would be constructed. As many as 38 lakh families were being provided rice at Rs.2 a kg. Also treatment up to a cost of Rs.75,000 was being provided free in hospitals.
Motive force
Stating that the experiences of Telangana struggle were a motive force in organising the peasants and workers in Kerala, Mr. Achuthanandan said at the same time he had participated in the legendary Punnapra-Vayalar resistance in Kerala.
CITU all-India President A.K. Padmanabhan said when CITU began fighting the liberalisation policies two decades ago few were with it. After 12 national strikes, others joined it and since September last nine central trade unions came together to fight on major issues like price rise, unemployment, protection of trade union rights and social security of unorganised sector.
CITU State president S.Veeraiah said irrespective of who the Chief Minister was the pro-rich and anti-people and anti-labour policies of the Congress were continuing in the State.
Vice-President S.Punyavathi said the CITU had gained strength over the last few decades with significant presence in all sectors. CITU all-India general secretary Tapan Sen, secretary K. Hemalatha, MLC M.V.S. Sarma, Reception Committee Chairman Ch.Narsinga Rao, CITU vice-presidents P. Roja and A. Ajay Sarma, general secretary R.Sudhabhaskar and former MLA Paturu Ramaiah participated.
With the aim of creating a new national platform for tribal rights - Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch - the national convention on tribal rights started in New Delhi on 12th June. Loksabha member from Tripura Com. Babjan Riyan inaugurated the convention being held at Bangabhawan in Mandi House. "Only the governments led by the left front in the country is giving importance to the issues of adivasis " he said during the inaugural speech. Com. Brinda Karat, CPIM polit buerue member place the report. CPIM General Secretary Com Prakash Karat, Com. Sitaram Yechury, Com. Biman Bose were also present at the function. 230 delegated representing various adivasi organisations of 14 states are participating in the convention. Delegates from Kerala, Madhya pradesh, Chathisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Orrisa, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Jharkand, Rajastan, Westbengal, Maharashta, Gujrat and Assam are present at the function.
Towards the National Convention on Tribal Rights
Brinda Karat (Peoples Democracy)
On June 12 and 13, around 230 delegates from States across the country will participate in a National Convention on Tribal Rights to share their experiences of resistance and struggle and to work out a plan for future actions on the urgent issues and demands of tribal communities. The convention will also discuss the steps required for expansion and consolidation of organised work among tribal communities. On the agenda of the convention is the formation of an Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch — a national platform for tribal rights — which should help to build a coordinated and effective nationwide movement and intervention in defence of and for the advancement of the rights of tribal citizens of India.
The concerns of tribal communities for justice surely do hold an equally importance place for other organised anti-capitalist, anti-landlord movements like those of the kisans and the trade unions. Further, in most spheres such as employment, health, education, and in basic socio-economic indicators, tribal citizens among students, women and youth share the lowest rung of the hierarchy with the SCs. This convention will also include delegates from the major organisations representing these different sections which will provide an opportunity to understand the multi-dimensional character of the present offensive faced by tribal citizens.
The policies of the UPA government led by the Congress party, and an intensification of the policies followed by the earlier NDA government as far as forcible land evictions, takeover of tribal land for corporates in violation of constitutional provisions, its policies leading to further food insecurity and widespread malnutrition among adivasi communities, make a mockery of its claims of inclusive growth. The convention is slated to discuss the importance of intensifying the struggles against the present central government and its policies.
No movement for justice can hope to advance if it does not address in specific terms the oppressions and exploitations of different social groups in our country, be they the scheduled castes, the scheduled Tribes, women who suffer particular discrimination and oppression on the basis of gender or those like the minority Muslim community who suffer discrimination on the basis of their religion.
Tribal communities face both social and economic discrimination and exploitation. The large majority of tribals belong to the exploited classes and thus form a most important contingent, in class terms, in the struggle for revolutionary social change.
AS MARGINAL PEASANTS
As many as 70 per cent of the tribal people are small and marginal farmers owning small plots of land with very low levels of productivity. Over 30 per cent of the tribals are landless. It is estimated that between 15-20 per cent of tribals are without even homestead land and houses. Ironically, the most deprived in our society, the tribals, live on the most sought after mineral-rich land and are the victims of predatory policies intensified under both the NDA and the UPA regimes, which give license to corporate houses to grab the land, to evict the tribals while giving them meagre or no compensation.
The issue of land rights, of land reforms, of the struggle against displacement, of the struggle against land alienation will no doubt be a central issue in the convention. Since 2002, 4 million hectares of forestland has been diverted for projects for SEZs, mining, irrigation, dams etc, displacing lakhs of tribal and other poor families. In this period many important and militant struggles for land led by Left led organisations of the tribals have taken place such as those in Vishakha and Pollavaram in Andhra Pradesh, in Sundargarh, Jejpur and Jagjitsighnagar in Orissa, in Ranchi, Kundahit and Dumka in Jharkhand, in Thane, Nanded and Nasik in Maharashtra, in Satna and Shadol in Madhya Pradesh. Many participants in these struggles will attend the convention and the delegates will have an opportunity to hear first hand accounts of the struggles. Experience shows that it is not a blanket opposition to all projects in tribal areas. The position taken depends upon the displacement and environmental damage which it would cause and the negative impact it may have on tribal livelihoods. The procedures and processes of consent of gram sabhas in the Fifth Schedule areas or compact tribal areas are also crucial and no clearances can be given without such consent. In some areas alternative sites have been suggested. There are also cases where alternative irrigation projects and dams have been suggested which would have been less displacing but have been refused by the Governments concerned leading to intensified struggles. At the same time, the poor implementation of the Forest Rights Act and the unwarranted interventions of the forest department in several states to sabotage the process of giving pattas to adivasis on forest land is a matter of deep concern. Official statistics point to an alarming number of claimants to land which have been rejected. As per the information on the Ministry of Tribal Affairs website, till March 31, 2010, more than 27.44 lakh claims have been filed but only one-fourth, 7.82 lakh titles have been distributed.
AS WORKERS
The acute crisis in agriculture in tribal compact areas with little or no irrigation as well as the massive displacement taking place in tribal areas and the relentless process of land alienation even in areas protected under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, is forcing tribals to join the ranks of the rural and urban proletariat and as workers in the unorganised sector.
For example, a large number of tribal men and women are joining the construction industry. Trade unions of construction workers, organised by the CITU with a large membership of tribals, can play an important role in organising tribals in rural areas because of the close links with the tribals living in tribal compact areas.
Large numbers of tribals are also employed as coal workers or in iron ore mines, quarries though mostly as contract or casual workers with very few rights, as brick kiln workers and so on, and women are migrating to become domestic workers in cities. Thus there is a growing potential for tribals workers to join the common trade unions of workers provided there is sensitivity to their specific social and economic position. It has been seen in States like Andhra Pradesh where the Girijan Sangham has made specific attempts, how tribal anganwadi workers have taken the lead in organising other less organised sections of the rural poor tribals. These inspiring examples of the leading role of tribal employees and working class members to organise the less organised can show the way for others.
ASSAULT ON TRIBAL CULTURES
The aggressive spread of capitalist relations in the agrarian sector and its impact on tribal communities has its reflection on not only the economic and social sphere but on the cultural frameworks within which tribal communities live and work. The languages and cultures of tribal people are under severe attack. Capitalist values and consumerism have their own impact even on marriage practices in tribal communities with hitherto unheard of practices like dowry demands making an appearance. Dominant casteist Hindutva cultures are also sought to be imposed.
The National Convention is being held at a time of twin assaults on tribal cultures and identities. On the one hand are those forces who seek to divide tribals in the name of religion led by fundamentalists. Many of these are front organisations working under the aegis of the RSS. We have seen the dreadful face of these forces in the violence for example in Kandhamal in Orissa where divisions and rifts created by RSS organisations in the name of ethnic and caste identities among communities equally poor led to terrible consequences of loss of lives, livelihoods and fraternal relations. On the other hand are certain NGOs funded by imperialist forces and other political forces who are promoting different variants of identity politics. In doing so they seek to fragment and separate the identity of tribal communities from their proletarian character, isolating them from the joint struggles of workers and peasants. These trends do great damage to the democratic requirement to protect tribal cultures languages and identities, while building unity in the struggles of all working people for justice and for the defence and advancement of the rights of tribal peoples.
In this context the convention will have the opportunity to hear the experience of the delegates from many states, particularly of those from the states where there are Left led governments. Although Jharkhand is a Fifth Schedule area with a large population of Santhals, the Santhals of Jharkhand do not have the same rights as their counterparts across the border in West Bengal, where the Left Front government has set up as many as 1500 schools with the Ol Chiki language (spoken by Santhals) as the medium of instruction to ensure that the right of education in one’s own language is ensured to tribal communities. In Jharkhand there are not even one third of such schools. Similiarly, in Tripura, it is the Left Front Government which has recognised and developed Kok Borok as the language of instruction demanding its inclusion in the eighth schedule of the constitution.
AGAINST MAOISTS
In this period, in many states, tribal communities have become victim to the violent activities of Maoists whose savage and indiscriminate violence against all those who dare oppose them has victimised tribals many of whom have been brutally killed for opposing the Maoists. In some states like Chhattisgarh the state has unleashed repression in tribal areas in the name of fighting Maoists. We strongly condemn such repression. Innocent tribals are caught between the Maoist and official repression in this state, leading to the condemnable displacement and terrible suffering of thousands of tribal families, particularly tribal women who have also been brutally assaulted by security forces in several instances, including sexual assault.
The claim of the Maoists that they represent the interests of tribals will no doubt be challenged by the experiences of many of the delegations. In Orissa, when the loved and respected trade union leader of the iron ore mine workers Comrade Thomas Munda was brutally killed by Maoists, the question is who benefited except the management and labour contractors of the mines who wanted to retrench the workers but were prevented from doing so by the courageous leadership provided by Thomas Munda. 3000 adivasis were displaced by Maoist violence in this area of Sundargarh for six months. Their land was taken over by the Maoists. These families have now gone back to their village determined to till their own land and face the Maoists. In Jharkhand in a similar deal between Maoists and industrialists, large amounts of land have been forcibly taken over by a well known steel company in the East Singhhum area of Jharkhand where the Maoist presence is strong. Similarly, in the Latehar district also, a well known company had forcibly taken over land under the benign patronage of the Maoists. Among the delegations will be that of West Bengal, many of the delegates from the worst affected areas, where to be a CPI(M) supporter is to court death and violence. They have seen the brutal killing of their comrades in the Jangal Mahal areas.Yet these comrades live through these high levels of tension on a daily basis unwavering in their commitment to fighting the mindless violence of the Maoists in West Bengal and their reactionary aim to eliminate CPI(M) cadre and to help the anti-Left forces destabilise the government. The Maoists masquerading in the name of Left politics have to be fought at the political and ideological level while at the same time we demand firm administrative measures against their activities.
AGAINST DIVISIONS
In the North-East, policies of successive governments leading to underdevelopment and grave disparities have fanned ethnic violence of one tribe against the other as in Assam. Extremist forces have targeted innocent people causing great insecurity to the lives of common people. In this context is the inspiring example of Tripura under the Left Front government and Left led movements, which have through pro-people, pro-tribal policies and struggles been able to politically isolate extremist forces who sought to disrupt unity between tribal and non-tribal citizens, and have built a strong democratic movement for justice.
OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE
The major issues are certainly those of land rights and livelihood, jobs and ensuring that thousands of vacancies in government ST reserved posts are filled. At the same time the impact of neo-liberal policies in tribal compact areas is seen in the official statistics that show that in all major social sector areas, the status of tribal communities is way below the national average in terms of education, access to health facilities, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, roads, infrastructure. The specific experiences of tribal women, students and youth and the impact of current economic polices on them will no doubt form an important part of the charter of demands that the convention is expected to discuss and finalise.
While the hard work and labour of tribals contributes considerably to the country’s GDP, it is tribals who are the most deprived of the fruits of the current growth rates that India boasts of.
This is reflected in the central government budgetary allocations. Although in monetary terms the allocations are higher, in terms of the percentage of allocations for the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) which it is mandated must be in proportion to the tribal population, the allocations are far less. The proportion of total plan outlay of the central government earmarked for STs has in fact decreased from 4.77 percent in 2007-08 (budget estimate) to 4.45 percent in 2008-09 (BE). The allocation for the TSP as a percentage of the annual plan expenditure in 2010-2011 should be around Rs 23, 311 crore, but it is less than half of that.
ALTERNATIVE POLICIES OF LEFT LED GOVERNMENTS
In contrast, Left led governments have tried to implement pro-tribal policies. To give a few examples: In West Bengal, tribals constitute 5.5 per cent of the population but they constitute 19 per cent of the beneficiaries of land distribution. As far as the prices for minor forest produce are concerned, West Bengal has the highest rates. For example, in case of tendu leaves, whereas 100 rupees are paid here for collection of 5000 leaves, in comparison to 80 rupees in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. It is only in West Bengal that 1.75 lakh senior tribal citizens are being given 750 rupees a month as old age pensions. The process of certification has been simplified and being conducted through open enquiries.
With a tribal population of around 30 percent Tripura under the Left front Government has set an example not only the best among NE states, but has a high ranking in the whole country with the central government also noting in several reports its record in ensuring that the benefits of existing schemes reach the tribal communities. Tripura has the best record in implementation of the Sixth Schedule, the guarantee of regular elections, the strengthening of democratic structures through the formation of elected village committees. Tripura has the best record in implementation of the Forest Rights Act and granting of pattas to the tribal beneficiaries.
In Kerala, where there is a 1.26 percent of tribal population, the LDF government has taken a major step in distribution of homestead land to the tribal people. Thousands of families have been given such land. Importantly, the government did not allow police to intervene in the just land struggle of the tribals and 3000 families could occupy land. The LDF government withdrew false cases which had been registered by the previous Congress government against the tribals. Many other important schemes like old age pension, widow pensions and other social security measures have been taken by the government for the tribal people.
Just as the earlier Ranchi convention in 2002 had given a big fillip to the organisation and struggles of the adivasi people, this national convention will no doubt prove to be an important milestone in taking forward the struggle for the defence of the rights of tribal communities.
The State Government should withdraw recognition for schools that collected fees over and above the limit prescribed by the Govindarajan Committee. The fee structure should be posted in the internet for public view and individual schools should be asked to display their fee structure on notice boards, said the State secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), G. Ramakrishnan, on Friday.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Ramakrishnan said that many private schools were collecting excess fees and some even resorted to ingenious ways, like asking the parents to deposit the difference of fee in a ‘hundi.' While receipts were issued for the prescribed fee the difference was accepted without any acknowledgement.
Some schools maintained that the fee collected now was for one term and some manipulated with transport and hostel fees. When parents questioned the collection of excess fees, some schools even threatened to close down, he said.
The CPI (M) leader wanted the government to ensure that only the fee prescribed by the Govindarajan Committee was collected by private schools.
“Take over”
Failure to do so should attract de-recognition and the government should take over such schools. The party, he said, opposed the decision to allow private schools to have their own textbooks under the ‘samacheer kalvi' scheme. This would only lead to disparities between aided and private schools and ultimately defeat the purpose of the scheme. The move to allow foreign universities in the country would have an adverse impact on the education system, he said.
Mr. Ramakrishnan appealed to the State Government to distribute 740 acres of government poromboke land reclaimed from encroachers in Tallavada village of Gummidipoondi taluk to the Dalits and landless people. A similar step should be taken in the case of 199 acres of land in Kaverirajapuram.
Explaining the stand of the State CPI (M) in the Mullaperiyar issue, Mr. Ramakrishnan said that it was for implementation of the Supreme Court order of raising the dam level to 142 feet from the present 136 feet.
Tamil Nadu, he said, should voice the aspirations of the people of southern districts in the five-member committee constituted by the apex court to review the issue.
CPIM conducted a struggle for the landless poor in Kummidipundi village in Thiruvalluvar District, Tamil nadu. Around 1400 peooples including 800 women were arrested. Com. G Ramakrishnan, CPIM Tamil nadu State secretary led the protest demonstration. Around 700 acres of Goverment land is been alledgedly encroached by landlords in this village. The people in this village were amking continous struggle for the last 6 years for regaining this land. The people have been consistently complaining to the goverment authorities regarding this encroachment. The authorities never took any action. It is under this circumstance the people led by CPIM moved to direct action. Speaking at the occassion Com G Ramakrishnan urged the state goverment and asked the Chief Minister to pay special attention to regain the Government lands from the big encroachers and hand it over to the landless poor.
Bangalore will have an exclusive centre to study social movements of Karnataka.
Brainchild of Left activists in the State, the centre will be housed in a new building named after communist leader E M S Namboodiripad, that will be inaugurated on June 14 by Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan. The A K Gopalan Memorial Social Education Trust of Bangalore has raised nearly Rs one crore for construction of the Bhavan which has a 200-seat auditorium, in Mahalakshmi Layout.
The Trust will offer residential short-term training programmes for activists to promote social movements. G N Nagaraj, Trust’s Managing Trustee and CPM state secretariat member, said the aim of the centre is to realise the ideals of ‘E M S’ and Gopalan, whose efforts propelled Kerala to the top of the human development index in the country. a similar endeavour was needed in Karnataka, Nagaraj said. He said the Bhavan, which has built-up area of 5,600 sqft, has been constructed with contribution from the public, especially peasants and workers besides well-wishers. The Trust has developed four courses which can be attended by anyone who is interested in social issues - study on Karnataka’s social, economic and cultural development; study on dalits, on working class and on farmers of Karnataka. The course includes both lectures by subject experts and audio-visual presentations.
A full-time faculty has already been appointed. A good number of guest lecturers would be roped in. The course modules have been designed to provide information and knowledge on the happenings in developed world, and how it is affecting working class in developing countries. “The working class or farmers may not know about climate change or globalisation. Through our course, we will educate them. We are not offering formal education like in educational institutions. It is going to be social education to highlight how distraction of democracy is taking place,” Nagaraj said.
The duration of the courses may vary from 5 to 15 days, and nominal fees will be collected from participants. CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, former prime minister Deve Gowda, Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and writer U R Ananthmurthy will be present during the inaugural programme.
Atrocities against Dalits in the State have risen in the last two years and the Government is doing nothing about it, alleged Maruti Manpade, State Committee member, Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Speaking at a protest march organised here on Thursday, he accused the State Government of discriminating against the Dalits. “Problems like discrimination on the basis of caste in hotels, maths, increasing incidence of AIDS among devdasis and low wages for daily workers exist but the Government is not doing anything to solve them,” he said.
Accusing the Government of introducing policies which were against the interests of the Dalits, the protesters demanded the repealing of the Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2010, as red meat formed the basic diet of the Dalits.
K. Varadarajan, polit bureau member, said even after 60 years of Independence, everyone was not treated equally, especially in States like Karnataka. “In more than 50 villages in the State, social boycott or untouchability is practised and action has not been taken by the authorities. In today's India, democracy is decided by caste or money,” he added. The march, originally planned to start at the City Railway Station and end at the Chief Minister's residence, was cut short as Minister for Social Welfare Sudhakar Rao visited them at Freedom Park. The Minister was presented with a letter to the Chief Minister urging him to look into the living conditions of Dalits.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat agreed. “If the justice system is so weak, as proven by this verdict, then it is horrifying to think what will happen if there is a nuclear accident,” she said. Probe infirmities in CBI, says Brinda The government should look into the infirmities in the CBI which led to such a diluted verdict, and appeal in the higher court, she added.
CPI (M) Madhya Pradesh State Secretary Saroj Badal said that the accused had been prosecuted with light sections of IPC and the CBI has failed to bring the foreign accused Warren Anderson - former Chairman of Union Carbide Corporationm, USA and two others - UCC, USA and Union Carbide Eastern, Hong Kong to face the trial. Badal said that the Centre had budged under the US pressure in dealing with the foreign accused.
CPI National Secretary D Raja said that the Prime Minister should take responsibility for the “failure” of the CBI to bring to justice the foreigners accused in the case.
The Bhopal Gas case verdict, which after twenty-five years awards a sentence of just two years to the culprits, is a travesty of justice that shames India and insults the memory of the thousands killed. The verdict is the culmination of a deeply flawed process involving the culpability of Governments, investigative agencies and even the highest court of the land. These institutions compromised the interests of the country and the victims, diluting the charges, enabling the American CEO Warren Anderson to escape, and limiting liability to a paltry compensation of only 470 million dollars. These are acts of connivance to help the powerful US company and its Indian entity.
The culprits are now all out on bail and will use the judicial process further to avoid serving even this inadequate sentence. The Government must immediately appeal against the verdict, press for enhancement of sentences and create a process by which justice can be speedily ensured.
The Bhopal disaster and the utterly flawed legal framework shows how the American suppliers and owners have escaped any criminal liability. In this context the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill which excludes foreign suppliers from any liability may help more Warren Andersons. The Bill limits compensation to even less than the paltry Bhopal settlement. Pushing ahead with the Nuclear Liability Bill means playing with the safety and interests of the Indian people.
CHENNAI: The CPI (M) is keen on including Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) led by actor Vijayakant in the joint-struggles to highlight the failures of the State and the Central governments, said G. Ramakrishnan, the State secretary of the party. However, any decision on an electoral understanding with the DMDK would be taken only at the time of elections.
“This need not be seen as a political front. The Left front exists only in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. In other States, we have seat adjustments during the election,” he told The Hindu on Sunday.
The Left parties in Tamil Nadu are working closely with the AIADMK and the MDMK. The two parties even supported the Left-sponsored hartal on April 27 to highlight the failure of the Centre to control the rise in the prices of essential commodities. But the DMDK was not included in these joint efforts, though the CPI (M) held parleys with actor Vijayakant before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
While the CPI (M) campaigned for the AIADMK candidate in the Pennagaram by-election separately, they were present when the AIADMK candidates filed their nominations for Rajya Sabha elections.
But Mr. Ramakrishnan refused to attach any significance to these events.
“We wanted to defeat the DMK-Congress combine and supported the AIADMK, because it is the best bet now. But the question of entering into an understanding with the AIADMK or other political parties for the 2011 Assembly elections will be decided later,” he said.
The CPI (M) leader said the victory of the ruling combine in all the by-elections held in the State did not mean it was invincible. “There is a discontent beneath surface, which will manifest itself during the next Assembly election,” he said.
Mr. Ramakrishnan said while the economic policies of the Congress-led UPA government had rendered the lives of the poor miserable across the country, corruption in all level in Tamil Nadu and the deteriorating law and order situation had become a cause of concern.
“Power cut in the State has severely affected small scale industries. The textile industry is going through a crisis because of steep rise in the price of yarn, while agriculture has become unviable for the farmers and agricultural labourers,” he said.
Mr. Ramakrishnan said the CPI (M) would press for devolution of power and a political solution to the Sri Lankan Tamils issue when the President of the country Mahinda Rajapaksa visited India on June 8.
