The Hindu : National : CPI(M) opposed to Patents Bill in present form: Karat

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Friday, Jan 28, 2005

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CPI(M) opposed to Patents Bill in present form: Karat

By Our Staff Reporter

WARANGAL, JAN. 27. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Prakash Karat, has made it clear that his party would oppose the Patents Bill in Parliament if it is introduced in its present form. He, however, expressed confidence that the United Progressive Alliance Government would bring in the amendments proposed by the CPI(M) and other Left parties to the present Patents ordinance.

Addressing a press on the sidelines of the 21st State Conference of the Andhra Pradesh CPI(M) here today, Mr. Karat hoped that the coming Central budget would reflect its commitment to its common minimum programme.

"We would like the budget to respond to the popular mandate of the general elections which rejected the economic polices followed by the BJP-led NDA Government," he said.

The budget should allocate resources to the National Employment Guarantee Scheme and should work towards the promise of six per cent of the budget grants for education and raise public investment in agriculture. Mr. Karat made it clear that the CPI(M) was unhappy with "some of the policy measures of the UPA Government" relating to economic issues.

"We do not see any reason for selling 10 per cent shares in BHEL merely to meet the budget deficit," he said and. "This money will go into the Government's kitty to balance their accounts and not to increase investments in BHEL." He clarified that the CPI(M) was not opposed to public sector enterprises going to the share market to raise money for fresh investments but would not allow precious resources to be sold for meeting Government expenditure.

Talks with China

Mr. Karat welcomed the UPA Government's initiative to hold a strategic dialogue with China and said that this was important not only for the two countries but for the entire region. On Iraq, he said the proposed elections on January 30 were bereft of legitimacy and cautioned the UPA Government from providing any form of legitimacy to the illegal occupation of Iraq by the United States and the United Kingdom.

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