The Hindu : National : We will watch the Government for 100 more days: Forward Bloc

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Wednesday, Sep 15, 2004

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We will watch the Government for 100 more days: Forward Bloc

By Malabika Bhattacharya

KOLKATA, SEPT. 14. The Forward Bloc general secretary, Debabrata Biswas, has described the performance of the Government led by Manmohan Singh in the past 100 days as "dismal."

At a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Biswas said the Government had failed to implement the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) in the 100 days. It was only paying attention to raising the FDI cap on telecom, insurance and civil aviation.

"The Central Government has not implemented a single issue figuring in the CMP. We will watch another 100 days and then take stock of the situation."

Mr. Biswas charged the Congress with not "seriously" fighting the BJP which was raising its Hindutva line once again. The stability of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) would depend on implementing the CMP as well as resisting the BJP.

Asked whether the Forward Bloc, a prominent constituent of the Left Front, would withdraw its support to the UPA if it did not implement the CMP, Mr. Biswas said: "We are not happy and we have decided to re-think the issue of supporting the UPA after another 100 days."

Mr. Biswas criticised the Manmohan Singh Government for the "callous" handling of the situation in Manipur, saying it could have at least sent an all-party delegation to the State.

The Forward Bloc, he said, was opposed to the Government's decision to include representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other international funding agencies into the consultative committees of the Planning Commission.

The party would conduct campaigns against this as well as the FDI hike soon.

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