The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has urged the Central government to order a CBI probe into the allegation of bribery in the Rs. 3,600-crore VVIP helicopter deal.
Addressing a public meeting here, Prakash Karat, general secretary, CPI(M), said the probe should be conducted under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court so that the real truth would be known to people.
As policies of the Centre had resulted in a nexus of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and corporate sector, the supervision of Supreme Court was essential, he said.
Flagging off a march at Kanyakumari, he said that the objective of the march was to highlight the need for alternative policies to address the issues of farmers, women, students, working class people, Dalits and Adivasis.
The CPI (M) was firmly opposed to the neo-liberal economic policies being followed by the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party which benefited from the rich and foreign companies at the cost of the poor.
The party has decided to raise issues crucial to the welfare of the common people, including the right to food, the right to education and employment, the right to health facilities and cheap medicines, the right to shelter and the right to a life free of discrimination on the basis of caste, community and gender, he said.
The prices of petroleum products were on the rise resulting in the over all hike of prices of all essential commodities affecting the working class.
Moreover, the farmers were struggling to sell their produce for better price as they were being exploited, he said.
