K. Muraleedharan, MLA, has said that if the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] thought that it can shout and gag the United Democratic Front (UDF) MLAs in the Assembly, it is nothing but wishful thinking. “It is not for showering accolades on the CPI(M) that the 47 UDF MLAs reach the House,” he said inaugurating a 48-hour dharna organised by the Kollam District Congress Committee in front of the Head Post Office here on Friday.
The dharna was held in protest against the alleged betrayal of the cashew workers by the Left Democratic Front government by failing to reopen the public sector cashew factories even after two months of coming to power.
The Opposition was duty-bound to cite the failures and shortcomings of the ruling side. But whenever the Opposition pointed out the failures of the government in the House, the ruling side tried to shout them down, he said.
A reason for UDF debacle
“Though many of the problems faced by the cashew sector during the tenure of the UDF government were the result of a conspiracy between the CITU, a section of cashew processors and a section of bureaucracy, it is true that issues were a reason for the UDF debacle in Kollam in the last Assembly polls,” he said.
He alleged that the government was delaying the reopening of the cashew factories with the deliberate intention of creating a crisis in the sector so that the CPI(M)’s hidden agenda of mechanising the sector could be implemented. He said the silence on the fate of cashew workers smacked of the CPI(M)’s hypocrisy.
‘Owe apology’
All the 11 LDF MLAs from the district owed an apology to the cashew workers for this betrayal, he said.
Mr. Muraleedharan alleged that within two months of rule, the LDF had earned the wrath of the people.
DCC president Kodikunnil Suresh led the dharna.
