The Hindu : National : Brinda Karat warns against postponing West Bengal Assembly elections

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Friday, Jan 20, 2006

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Brinda Karat warns against postponing West Bengal Assembly elections

Staff Reporter

Left will not keep quiet if the Government tried to go against the CMP

MIRYALAGUDA (NALGONDA): The people of West Bengal will not tolerate any attempt to postpone the Assembly elections or "any conspiracy" to impose President's rule in the State, Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on the last day of the Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham's 18th State conference here, she said: "We welcome any step taken by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal. The State Government will fully cooperate with the Commission. Let me make it clear that there is no excuse either for postponement of elections or imposition of President's rule."

She criticised the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government for not implementing the M.S. Swaminathan commission report. "According to a recent study, as many as 50,000 farmers have committed suicide in the last six years. The four recommendations — census of farmers, who killed themselves, four percent credit facility for ryots, debt relief for small and marginal farmers and uninterrupted power supply— must be implemented without further delay," she said.

At a well-attended public meeting at Rajiv stadium later, she wondered why governments appointed commissions when they lacked the political will to implement them. "The Andhra Pradesh Government appointed the Jayati Ghosh commission to ascertain the reasons for the spate of suicides but did nothing to implement its recommendations."

Globalisation and privatisation were bound to hit India's rapid development. Hence, the Left parties would not keep quiet if the Government tried to go against the common minimum programme.

Describing U.S. President George W. Bush as "the driver of a bulldozer, which razes countries such as India" and "a big terrorist and a big enemy," Ms. Karat called upon farmers and labourers to "ask him to `go back' when he comes here in March." She found fault with the government for not raising its voice against the U.S. and the WTO.

She spoke a couple of Telugu sentences and paid rich tributes to the district, the birthplace of the historical Telangana peasants' armed struggle. She said the struggle had inspired several movements across the country.

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