The Hindu : National : Chidambaram's arithmetic not acceptable, says Bardhan

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Sunday, Dec 11, 2005

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Chidambaram's arithmetic not acceptable, says Bardhan

Special Correspondent

There can be a strike if EPF rate is not restored to 9.5 per cent: Bardhan

CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan, West Bengal Minister Nandagopal Bhattacharjee (right) and State Secretary Manju Kumar Mazumder at the inauguration of the 80th CPI foundation day celebration at Kolkata on Saturday. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

Kolkata: "One has the right to trade union [activity], one has the right to strike," A.B. Bardhan, general secretary, Communist Party of India, said here on Saturday. "There can be a strike" on the lines of the one called by Left trade unions on September 29 if the Centre failed to restore the Employees Provident Fund rate to 9.5 per cent, he said.

"We don't agree with [the Union Finance Minister] P. Chidambaram's arithmetic [behind the proposal to reduce the EPF rate by a percentage point]," Mr. Bardhan said. "Yet, even if the Centre needs to spend Rs. 700 crores to meet the deficit in order to maintain the 9.5 per cent rate what stops them when it involves the interests of four crore employees? Instead it agrees to lose over Rs. 7000 crores by agreeing to the demands of the brokers from the stock exchange and lowering the rate of turnover tax," he asked.

"We will agitate, [against the proposal to reduce the EPF rate] whatever Mr. Chidambaram has to say ... without withdrawing our support to the United Progressive Alliance Government," the CPI leader said.

On the question of whether there should be trade unions in a sector such as information technology, Mr. Bardhan said: "There will be trade unions in any employer-employee situation; whether we [the Left] call a strike depends on our judgment, but if someone says there will be no trade union we are not ready to accept that."

Earlier, at the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the CPI, Mr. Bardhan said a pledge should be taken to hasten the formation of an "alternative front of Left and Democratic parties". "With its present strength in Parliament the Left had gained importance but this is not enough. We have to be decisive in forming the Government," he said.

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