People's Democracy

Left Is Concerned About Policies

THE CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury dismissed the allegation made by Anupam Kher and a section of the media that his removal from the post of Censor Board chairmanship was due to pressure from the Left parties.

Answering queries from media persons at the Party headquarters, Yechury made it clear that the Left was only concerned about the policies of the government and things that have a bearing on the implementation of the policies. “Even at the time of our Party deciding that we would not join the government, it was made clear that we would have nothing to do with any administrative posts. We have never put any pressure on the government regarding any individual”, said Yechury.

Reiterating the Left position regarding desaffronisation, he asserted that undertaking this effort was part of fulfilling the people’s mandate. “The government should strengthen the secular democratic foundations of the country by undertaking this job seriously and fully”, said Yechury. He debunked a reporter’s suggestion that Anupam Kher lost his job because of Surjeet mentioning his name in a signed article in the Party’s central organ People’s Democracy issue dated October 10, 2004. “These things take time and require a process which the government must have initiated much earlier. It won’t happen in 24 hours”, stated Yechury.