People's Democracy

Manik Sarkar Calls for Defeat of Congress-NCP government

Tripura chief minister and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar called for defeat of Congress-NCP government of Maharashtra to teach them a lesson for neglecting the poor and the downtrodden, particularly the farmers of Vidharbha region who are committing suicides in thousands. He sought support of the people for the recently formed RLDF front.

Addressing a packed gathering of tribals, farmers, women in Borgaon village in Surgana assembly constituency, Sarkar lambasted union agriculture and food minister Sharad Pawar in particular for neglecting the farmers plight and actively seeking to destroy the existing PDS system.

Sitting MLA and CPI(M) candidate J P Gavit is fighting against NCP canidate from this constituency.

Manik Sarkar told the gathering about the central government's efforts to dismantle the PDS system by bringing in a Food Security Act. He said the draft sent to the state governments was anti-poor and it seeks to curtail the quantum of grain distributed and increases the price of foodgrains. He asked the audience to pull up the local NCP candidate and ask why his president is approving this move.

Sarkar lamented that even after 60 years of independence, farmers are committing suicide in thousands in Maharashtra as also in other parts of the country. He held the Congress responsible for such a state of affairs in the country. Referring to drought and its severe impact on the lives of millions of Indians, Sarkar said that sadly even today, we have to depend on nature for agriculture. Remunerative prices for crops, availablity of institutional credit, irrigation facility etc have been neglected by the Congress-NCP governments both at the state and the centre.

He also criticised the Congress-NCP government of Maharashtra for the tardy implementation of NREGA in the state. He contrasted this with the way Tripura implemented, making it number two in the country.

CPI(M) candidate J P Gavit felicitated Manik Sarkar and thanked him for visiting his constituency for campaigning. The entire ground was jampacked with people. Many who came late climbed on trees, roof tops and sat in adjoining lanes to listen to the leaders.