People's Democracy

CPI(M) Demands Thorough Probe into Coal Blocks’ Allocation

THAT there should be a full-fledged enquiry into the irregularities in allocation of coal blocks as the clarification issued by the prime minister’s office did not evoke any trust, was the demand the CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, made on June 11. He was addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters, A K Gopalan Bhavan, in New Delhi on the day, after the two-day Central Committee meeting of the party on June 9-10. Drawing attention to the news about the relevant CAG report, Karat underlined that the process chosen for the purpose only benefited some private players, thus causing huge losses to the public exchequer. Karat demanded a full-fledged enquiry into these allocations in view of the CBI enquiry ordered by the CVC on the basis of a letter written by an opposition MP. He said the coal block allocations too were, just like the spectrum scam, an instance of rushing unjustified benefits to private companies by selling to them national resources at throw-away prices.

Apprising the media about the Central Committee decisions, Karat said there would be block level campaigns on the food security issue through the whole month of July and a continuous five-day dharna in front of parliament from July 30 to August 3. The CC has asked all party units to make this programme an eminent success. He also drew attention to the fall in GDP growth, growing trade deficit, excessive fall in the value of the rupee vis-à-vis dollar, high and increasing levels of inflation, continuing double digit food inflation, and the ever worsening all-round crisis of Indian economy. He therefore warned the UPA government against allowing foreign entry into multi-brand retail trade, raising the FDI cap in banking and insurance, and allowing foreign companies to control pension funds, among other things. He said though it is the neo-liberal policies that have pushed us into such a predicament, there are attempts to push the country further along the same disastrous path by claiming that these policies have been inadequately implemented. Karat urged all opposition parties to oppose all such attempts and block these suicidal policies.

Referring to the Kerala situation, the CPI(M) leader drew attention to the systematic disinformation campaign that has been initiated against the CPI(M) since the unfortunate killing of T P Chandrasekhar on May 4. He stressed that the party had, on the day of the murder itself, condemned it in strong terms, and clarified that it did not believe in killing its political opponents. At the behest of the ruling UDF, this anti-CPI(M) disinformation campaign was launched in view of the important byelection in Neyyattinkara (that took place on June 2) and thereby an attempt was made to project the CPI(M) as a band of criminals and murderers. On its part, the CPI(M) had also made its clear that it would take necessary action if at all any party member was found involved in this case.

Karat also pointed how the Kerala Police changed its very course of investigation after the state’s home minister and the union minister of state for home affairs brought pressure upon it. Even after it was duly established that a group of professional killers had perpetrated this murder, attempts are continuing to falsely involve some middle level CPI(M) leaders in legal cases and to forcibly extract confessions from them that they were in one or another way involved in it.

The CPI(M) general secretary also replied to a volley of questions regarding the alleged differences of opinion in the Kerala unit of the party and the letter written by V S Achuthanandhan, CPI(M) Central Committee member and leader of opposition in Kerala assembly. Karat informed that the Central Committee had issued a directive to the Kerala state secretariat and state committee to discuss this issue threadbare and take an appropriate decision within a week. Further, a team of Polit Bureau members would take part in both these meetings; a Polit Bureau meeting would be held immediately thereafter; and, if necessary, a Central Committee meeting would also be called. The Central Committee has called upon its Kerala state unit to unitedly resist the ongoing anti-communist disinformation campaign and go to the people for the purpose. Moreover, the CC has also directed all party leaders in Kerala, including VS, not to go public till the process specified by the CC comes to a decision.

Regarding foreign policy matters, Karat drew attention to growing pro-US slant in India’s foreign policy, and referred to the US secretary of state’s recent visit to New Delhi and her statement at a conference in Singapore. Specifically mentioning the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region in the US’s geo-political strategy, Karat said US leaders have themselves dubbed India as a lynchpin in this strategy. The CPI(M) leader then sarcastically said this indicated a “promotion” of India’s role in US designs. In continuation, he drew attention to India’s decision to reduce crude imports from Iran under US pressure, and the change in India’s stand on Syria under US-NATO threat. Raising his voice against the moves to sacrifice the country’s interests for the sake of US policies, the CPI(M) leader asked the UPA government to reject any move to tie the country with the US’s geopolitical strategies.

Regarding the presidential polls, Karat said the Left would decide its stand in consultations with other secular opposition parties, but first the UPA must come out with a name. Replying to a question regarding whether the Left would adopt a 2007-like stand, he said the situation was different at that time as the Left was then supporting the UPA from outside. Regarding the demand of respecting the “Bengal sentiment” in context of Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature, Karat reminded that the CPI(M) is an all-India party, adding that the Left is not bound to support the UPA’s nominee     

On this occasion, the CPI(M) general secretary also apprised the media of the election of a six-member Central Secretariat and a four-member Discipline Commission by the Central Committee.