Karnataka - Mangalore   

Propaganda of growth is a conspiracy, says CPI(M) leader

MANGALORE: Criticism of neo-liberal economic policies and call to fight communal forces formed the overriding theme of the 19th Dakshina Kannada district conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held near Ullal on Sunday.

“As a country, we have more currency today but no real money. We have no power to purchase,” said G.V. Sriram Reddy, former MLA and member of State executive committee of the party.

He was addressing the delegates and party workers of CPI (M) who attended the conference from all over the district.

Stating that the party was a part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government only to keep communal forces at bay, Mr. Reddy launched a scathing attack on, what he called, “Congress-backed propaganda”. “The people are being cheated and a rosy picture of the state of the economy is being presented. The propaganda of growth is part of a conspiracy between communal forces, foreign capitalists and sections of the media,” he said.

Pointing to the 1.5 lakh farmers who had committed suicide in the last decade, he said the jubilation about the growth rate in the country was completely misplaced. “The Ambanis and heads of other big business houses are being used as poster boys to create and maintain a false impression that India is riding the crest of unprecedented growth. If Anil Ambani or Azim Premji gets richer by a few crores, can it be conceived as growth of the country?” he asked.

“About 28 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is being paid off as interest on our borrowings from World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Another 48 per cent of the GDP is directed towards defence spending. As a result, not much is left for development activities,” Mr. Reddy said.

Reiterating that the party would never support the Indo-US nuclear deal in its present form, with the Hyde Act looming large over it, he said: “We are ready to give up power but we will not compromise on our stand or our ideals.”

In the run-up to the impending Assembly polls in the State, Mr. Reddy said he was surprised that none of the three major political parties in the State were talking about their plans for Karnataka. “They are seeking votes on the basis of allegations against one another. Nobody is talking about developmental activities.”

He questioned the rationale behind the doling out of Rs. 200 crore to various maths and temples during the 20-moth rule of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janatha Party alliance.

The party’s State secretary G.N Nagaraj ridiculed the squabbling for power by the three major parties of Karnataka. Alleging that those three parties were stake holders in the land and mining mafias, he said: “They all want to have monopoly over this mafia and that is why they want to come to power.”

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