People's Democracy

Nainar

THE decision of the AIADMK government of Tamil Nadu to increase the bus fare, prices of essential commodities that are distributed through the public distribution system and the tariff for domestic electricity consumption, and the fresh toll on other products and services, came as a bolt from the blue for the people of the state. Elected on the plank of secularism and an unmistakable anti-reform posturing, the AIADMK has betrayed the people’s expectations and stabbed in the back of the same people who voted it to power in the recent assembly elections.

Meeting at Chennai on November 29, the state secretariat of the CPI(M) has condemned these measures to overcome the financial crisis facing the government. The press communiqué released by the state government categorically states that "The government must commit itself to the government of India and international financial agencies on holistic fiscal and sectoral reforms including power, transport and food sectors." It is thus clear that the state government has fallen in line with the World Bank’s and the government of India’s policies of "reforms" and restructuring.

Increases in the bus fares, motor vehicle tax and electricity tariff, introduction of entry fee for public hospitals, additional taxation on edible oil, cotton hosiery goods and computer software are the important measures resorted to, for increasing the revenue to the tune of Rs 4,482 crore at one stroke. The "reform" measures announced for transport corporations, hospitals, PDS, electricity corporation, taxation and cuts in subsidies, all put together, are not an interim measure but a mini budget exercise, done with a view to shifting the burden of the entire crisis on to the ordinary people of the state.

It is in this background that the CPI(M) state secretariat appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to prepare themselves for a serious, united movement against the policies of the state and central governments.

The CPI(M) state secretariat’s resolution pointed out that while seeking the people’s cooperation for these measures, the state government justified these burdens as an unavoidable bitter pill to bring the economy back to the pink of health. It declined even the festival advance facility hitherto available to the state government employees. It declared its intention to reduce the government jobs by 30 per cent, thereby depriving employment opportunities to all sections of the people, especially the Dalit and the backward sections of the society. It announced these anti-democratic and anti-people measures without even taking the legislative assembly into confidence, which is unprecedented. This is nothing but sheer backstabbing those who voted the AIADMK to power.

The resolution further said that the people of the state are already severely affected by the BJP-DMK (NDA) government’s IMF-World Bank-dictated exim policies, privatisation of public sector units and the ongoing deindustrialisation in the state. What is ridiculous is that the AIADMK has decided to scrupulously implement the policies of the centre while a case filed by it against the GATT regime is pending in the Supreme Court. The CPI(M) urged the state government to give up these economic policies and withdraw the hikes announced.

The CPI(M) has decided to approach the Left, democratic and secular parties in the state to counter this serious attack on the people in the form of a sudden all-round price-rise and would conduct a united resistance movement with all force at its command. It has appealed to all sections of the people to rise against these measures and condemn the government. All the CPI(M) units and members have geared up to conduct protest actions and rally the people of the state against these measures. (INN)