A day ahead of the nation-wide hartal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday strongly condemned the refusal of the UPA government to reconsider the decision to increase fuel prices and charged it with directly being responsible for the rise in the prices of food and essential commodities.
“By these steps, the Congress-led government is directly responsible for the spiralling price rise of food items and essential commodities. The deregulation of prices is meant to help private oil companies and put the people at the mercy of a market controlled by the oil MNCs and domestic corporates,” the Polit Bureau said in a statement at the end of its two-day meeting here.
The meeting also endorsed the decision of the July 1 Left parties' convention to conduct an extensive campaign next month on the demand for comprehensive food security legislation. The demands included 35 kg of food grains to every family at Rs. 2 a kg; implementation of the universal public distribution system; and distributing food stocks accumulated in godowns to feed the people. During the campaign, State units of the party would conduct padayatras, jathas and rallies.
Expressing deep concern at ‘honour' killings, the Polit Bureau demanded firm action against those who issued such illegal diktats and resort to intimidation, threats and violence and sought a comprehensive law to deal with it.
It said the statements by the Haryana Chief Minister and some Congress MPs defending the khap panchayats were providing sustenance to such illegal and violent activities.
West Bengal attacks
The Polit Bureau denounced the continuing violence and attacks against CPI(M) workers in West Bengal by the Trinamool Congress combine. The Maoist involvement in the derailing of the Gyaneswar Express resulting in the death of 149 passengers had been established.
They were desperately trying to eliminate CPI(M) cadres and terrorise supporters in the Jangal Mahal area. The true nature of the Maoists had been fully exposed by these activities, the party said.
It called upon all democratic and progressive circles to condemn these activities of the Maoists and asked all party units to step up their campaign against them.
Correction
It's the Gyaneshwari Express, and not the Gyaneshwar Express as mentioned in the fifth paragraph of the above report.
