People's Democracy

LEFT PARTIES CAMPAIGN MEETING IN CHENNAI

CONGRESS IS A

SINKING SHIP: KARAT

N Srinivasan

PRAKASH Karat, general secretary of CPI(M) described the Cogress Party as a sinking ship and appealed to other democratic and secular Parties in the UPA to jump off the ship as quickly as possible, before it goes under completely.

Karat was addressing a massive public meeting that was held at Bulla Avenue, Chennai, by CPI(M), CPI and All India Forward Block on  July 16, 2008 as part of the Left parties all India campaign to explain the stand of the Left parties for withdrawal of support to the UPA government. Several thousands of people attended the meeting enthusiastically though it was organised at a very short notice.

Prakash Karat in his speech told the gathering that the UPA government's going ahead in operationalising the India-US nuclear deal without getting the approval from the parliament and its gross failure in checking the rising prices of all commodities that have overburdened the common man were the two important reasons for withdrawal of support by the Left parties.

Referring to the government and the Congress party saying that inflation and price rise was a global problem and that they cannot do anything, Karat said it is precisely the policies being pursued by the Manmohan Singh government that were responsible for this price rise and inflation. “When there are enough foodgrains produced in the country, why should we import foodgrains at a higher cost in the last two years”, he asked. The UPA government is not prepared to implement its own common minimum programme nor was it ready to accept the five suggestions made by the CPI(M) to curb price rise and inflation, he charged.

Accusing the Congress Party for allowing the communal forces in the country to grow in the last four years, he pointed out that in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura where Left parties led by CPI(M) are ruling, the BJP could not win even a single seat in the legislative assemblies, leave alone in parliament. These states remain a shining symbol for unity of the people and as a role model in the fight against communalism. Congress Party, he added, has no moral right to say that communal forces will gain by the withdrawal of support of Left parties to the UPA government. There was tremendous response from the audience when he said that Congress should learn to fight against communalism from the Left parties.

The people of the country have been cheated by this UPA government repeatedly. A senior minister in the cabinet assured the nation that the government would go to IAEA only after proving their majority in parliament. He had even stated that the prime minister was consulted on this issue. But the very same midnight the government went ahead to IAEA to proceed with the Safeguards Agreement. They violated their own commitment to the nation. They were interested only to fullfil their commitment to Bush, not to the people of the country, charged Karat. He also highlighted the secretive nature of government in this entire affair. They had refused to reveal the details of the Draft Safeguards Agreement saying it was confidential. At the same time, IAEA made everything public rebutting the claim of the government.

Karat asserted that the people of the country have lost faith in the UPA government because of the back-breaking price rise and the vigorous pursuit of India-US nuclear deal.  He accused the Congress Party of indulging in horse-trading to win the vote of confidence in parliament. He said the Left parties efforts to isolate the UPA government from the people of the country will  continue more vigorously in the coming period. Karat concluded by appealing to all secular and democratic parties to come together with the Left so that a real alternative to Congress and BJP can be evolved on the basis of alternative policies.

D Raja, national secretary, CPI, Debabrata Biswas, general secretary, All India Forward Block, N Varadarajan CPI(M) state secretary, R Nallakkannu, All India Control Commission chairman CPI and Andithevan, state president AIFB were the other leaders who addressed the public meeting.

K Beema Rao, district secretary CPI(M) South Chennai presided over the meeting. Many other state and district level leaders of CPI(M), CPI and AIFB also participated.