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Monday, Sep 08, 2008
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CPI(M) wants fuel price hike rescinded

Special Correspondent

Prakash Karat

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday demanded that the Manmohan Singh government rescind the increase in prices of diesel, petrol and cooking gas; reverse cuts in food grain allocation to States and take strong action against the Bajrang Dal.

At the end of a two-day meeting, the party’s Polit Bureau said the relentless price rise exposed the failure of the government to take corrective measures to bring some relief to people. The easing of international prices had no effect on inflation because of high indirect taxes on petroleum products.

“The government should cancel the hike in the prices of cooking gas, petrol and diesel as oil prices have come down internationally,” CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said at a press conference.

Alliance issue

On the political front, he said, the Polit Bureau discussed the developments, including a report from its Andhra Pradesh State Secretariat on the emergence of new formations like the Praja Rajyam. As for Tamil Nadu, he reiterated that the decision of the State unit was not to align with any party that was associated either with the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Polit Bureau said that while the Orissa government added a black page in the shameful record of State connivance in violence against minority communities where the BJP was in power, the Centre too failed to act with the constitutional framework to direct the State government to provide security to the community. “It has remained virtually a mute spectator,” the CPI(M) said and demanded steps to halt the violence, pay full compensation and provide security to the affected community.

WTO talks

On the World Trade Organisation talks, the Polit Bureau demanded that the government issue a White Paper on the entire gamut of discussions. There were reports that in the last WTO mini-ministerial conference, out of the 20 issues 17 were resolved, it said.

The Left, along with other parties, would meet the President on Tuesday to demand immediate convening of the monsoon session of Parliament. The President should advise the government not to abrogate Parliament’s rights and functions.

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