The Hindu : Front Page : CMP to be released today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 27, 2004

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Front Page

CMP to be released today

By K.V. Prasad

SETTLING THE CMP: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi get ready for a key meeting on the Common Minimum Programme and coordination issues. — Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

NEW DELHI, MAY 26. The ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and its supporting Left parties tonight arrived at a "broad consensus'' on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) that will be formally released tomorrow.

At the end of a four-hour long meeting this evening, the UPA and the Left parties fine-tuned the document that is expected to promise a repeal of the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act pushed through by the previous National Democratic Alliance Government; make an assurance to enact one-third reservation for women in the State Legislatures and Parliament; adopt a stand on a separate Telangana State; stop privatisation of profit-making public sector units; and maintain the independence of India's foreign policy and foster multi-polarity, Left party sources have said.

Discussions centred on the sixth draft of the CMP that was honed to accommodate the concerns of the Left parties. Even after the end of the discussions a few suggestions were pushed through by the All-India Forward Bloc for consideration.

"Though there may be some areas of differences, by and large we will endorse it tomorrow," the CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury, told correspondents after the meeting. He said there was a "broad consensus" among the constituents of the UPA and the supporting parties. Since the Left parties were supporting the Congress-led UPA from outside, a mechanism for greater coordination between the two would be evolved soon, he said.

Telangana to be considered at appropriate time

On the issue of a separate Telangana, the sole demand of the UPA constituent, Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the CMP would state that the issue would be considered at an appropriate time "after due consultation and consensus." The TRS opposition to setting up a second States Reorganisation Committee could eventually be considered. However, the CPI(M) had earlier conveyed its opposition to the creation of new States by breaking up the existing States formed on the linguistic principle.

The CMP would promise a dialogue with all groups in Jammu and Kashmir on a sustained basis. The "healing touch" policy of Mufti Government is likely to be endorsed. There would be a firm commitment to tackling terrorism/insurgency.

In the section on the welfare of the minorities, the CMP would suggest mooting a model law for the States to curb communal violence. The draft CMP had suggested the enactment of a comprehensive law on communal violence providing for a probe by a Central agency, prosecution by special courts and payment of uniform compensation. The suggestion to set up a national commission to examine the issue of backwardness and adequate representation of all religious and linguistic minorities was accepted.

Differences cropped up from the Rashtriya Janata Dal on providing one-third reservation for women, but the consensus was to include it in the CMP.

On the economic front, under pressure from the Left parties, the CMP toned down its suggestions on disinvestment in the public sector. It is now expected to offer a categorical assurance that profit-making companies in the sector would not be privatised. In the section on labour, the suggestion of the CPI to drop the word "flexibility'' got the nod.

While the Sethusamudram project was mentioned in the second draft, the CPI(M)'s suggestions to prevent erosion in the Padma Ganga and flood control in West Bengal were included.

The thrust of the foreign policy would be to build closer political, economic and other ties with India's neighbours in South Asia and strengthen SAARC. The UPA would promise support for the peace talks in Sri Lanka that fulfilled the legitimate aspirations of all Tamils and religious minorities within the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

Sonia, UPA chairperson

The UPA constituents, who had earlier elected the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, as chairperson of the coordination committee, authorised her to take a decision on the appointment of a convener and a spokesperson.

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