People's Democracy

Roll-Back These Anti-People Measures

The stand adopted by allies of the Congress party in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has made it more than evident that a majority of the parliament members are opposed to the permission the government has granted for FDI in the multi-brand retail trade, the hike in the price of diesel and the decision to limit the supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to six per family per year. That is why the present government has no mandate and no right to implement the policy decisions it has announced.

This was the point the CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, made while addressing a press conference at AKG Bhavan, the party’s headquarters, on September 19 evening, on the eve of the All India Protest Day, called for by eight parties, including the Left, on September 20.

Referring to the voices of protest in all parts of the country, and also to the Trinamul Congress’ decision to withdraw support to the government and the political crisis it may generate, the CPI(M) leader said, “If the Manmohan Singh government decides to go ahead with its recent announcements, it would forfeit its right to continue in existence.” Karat also made it clear that the CPI(M) and other parties would decide their future course of action immediately after the protest actions on September 20, and reiterated the resolve to intensify the party’s struggle against the recent decisions further.

In reply to a pressperson’s query, Karat said it is the determined opposition of the Left to the FDI in multi-brand retail trade that the ruling parties in West Bengal and Kerala, where the Left had been in power earlier, feel compelled to oppose this move. In the same question-answer session, the CPI(M) leader also expressed surprise that while Ms Mamata Banerjee is claiming to be opposed to this policy move and other decisions, she is against a hartal in West Bengal on the same issues. Why this duplicity, Karat asked.    

The statement issued by the CPI(M) Polit Bureau on this occasion follows.

THE UPA government has been plunged into a crisis after the announcement by the Trinamul Congress of the withdrawal from the government and the UPA.

The Manmohan Singh government had announced FDI in retail trade, sharply increased the price of diesel, limited the supply of cooking gas cylinders and initiated disinvestment in some of the top public sector enterprises. These policies and measures are totally against the interests of the people of the country.

None of these measures has the support of parties across the political spectrum. It is clear now with the stand taken by the allies of the Congress in the UPA that a majority of the members of parliament are against these policies. The Congress-led UPA government does not have the mandate or the right to push ahead with these policies.

The CPI(M) will intensify the struggle against these measures to get them reversed. All parties who have come out against these policies should support the all-India protest action on September 20. Unless the Manmohan Singh government rolls back these anti-people measures, it has no right to continue in office.