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Monday, Aug 09, 2004

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Government should talk with Manipur agitators: Bardhan

By Our Special Correspondent

CPI leaders A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. — Photo: Anu Pushkarna

NEW DELHI, AUG. 8. Expressing serious concern over the tense situation in Manipur where widespread protests had erupted since last month demanding the withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the Communist Party of India today demanded that the Government should hold dialogue with the agitating people and their organisations and defuse the situation.

"There are 13 insurgent groups which are active in Manipur and the so-called Special Powers Act has proved to be incapable of controlling insurgency. Experience has shown that it is unable to solve the problem of insurgency. There has been assault on human dignity and violation of human rights. This must stop and the Government must find ways of how to defuse the situation and bring it under control," the CPI general secretary, A.B. Bardhan, told newspersons here.

Punish guilty

While expressing solidarity with the people of Manipur, the CPI demanded that the guilty among the security forces behind the alleged rape and killing of a woman must be punished. The Assam Rifles must be shifted outside the Kangla Fort at the earliest and the avenue of dialogue must be opened with the agitating people and their organisations, Mr. Bardhan said after a meeting of the party's central secretariat.

Describing the setting up of the coordination committee as a "positive step," the CPI said that it would be a regular mechanism of interaction between the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and the Left. The party's central secretariat wanted the UPA to address the immediate concerns of the people. "Agriculture, irrigation, land reforms, rural development, health, education, employment, development with social justice, and providing drinking water must continue as the priorities of the Government," the press communiqué said.

The party demanded that UPA Government should perform closely identifying with the poor and marginalised sections of the people.

Mr. Bardhan said the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's customary Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort should reflect these concerns, refer to the Government's implementation schemes and not merely centre on making announcements.

`Guest appearances'

Referring to the hostage crisis in Iraq, Mr. Bardhan demanded stern action against the agencies that were sending gullible people to Iraq on the sly to work in aid of the U.S.-led forces there. "The External Affairs Ministry should fully and frankly realise that we are dealing with an aggressive U.S. occupation force with personnel from some other countries making guest appearances to make it look like a multi-national rag-tag. Only then would our credibility among the Iraqi people be restored," he said.

Mr. Bardhan said those going to Iraq and other countries were acting virtually like mercenaries and added that all steps must be taken to put an end to this.

Maharashtra elections

On the coming Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the party's central secretariat favoured a broad understanding and cooperation among the secular forces to defeat the BJP-Shiv Sena combine decisively.

The CPI expressed concern over rising prices and urged the UPA Government to strengthen the public distribution system as also considering the Left parties' proposal for reviewing and restructuring import and excise duties in the oil sector. On foreign direct investment (FDI), Mr. Bardhan said the position of the Left on raising the FDI cap in the telecom, civil aviation and insurance sectors was well-known. "We urge the Government not to push through the proposals," he said.

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