The Hindu : Front Page : CPI(M) warns Centre against entering into a security tie-up with Israel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 11, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

CPI(M) warns Centre against entering into a security tie-up with Israel

Special Correspondent

Allow debate in Parliament on launch of Israel’s spy satellite: Karat

— Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat addressing the media at Pragatinagar, near Hyderabad, on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has warned the United Progressive Alliance government against entering into any security tie-up with Israel, which, it said, was starving the people of Palestine.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said the Union government should give a full report on the assistance given to Israel to launch an espionage satellite.

“There are reports that two more satellites of Israel will be launched. Why are we helping Israel in espionage against friendly countries,” Mr. Karat asked. He demanded that the Centre allow a debate in Parliament on the launch of the Israeli spy satellite TecSAR and on the two others in the pipeline. The CPI(M) was also not convinced with the explanations given by the Centre on the India-U.S. nuclear deal. The government had been asked to hold discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency following which the matter would be discussed by the UPA-Left coordination committee.

“We don’t consider the agreement as simple nuclear cooperation. There is much more to it and it is against the security interests of the country,” he said.

On the other issues, he said the Centre should give priority to the agrarian crisis, checking price rise and employment generation while presenting the Union Budget. It should make allocations to the key provisions in the common minimum programme that were not implemented and those that were not adequately fulfilled.

To mobilise resources for programmes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the government should consider restoring long-term capital gains tax on equity that was abolished in 2004.

At the same time, the government should revise tax on petroleum products by reducing customs and excise duties besides giving up ad valorem tax.

On the proposed third alternative, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party was upset with the proposal as it had no hope of convincing people that it could be an alternative. The BJP knew the Left’s capability of rallying different political parties and was trying to prevent this, he said.

He said the party was identifying issues based on which joint struggles could be launched and a clear picture on the course of action would emerge after the party’s national conference in Coimbatore next month.

Secular parties such as the Janata Dal (United) and the Biju Janata Dal should clarify whether they accepted the BJP’s platform of Hindutva as they were still going with it, the CPI(M) leader said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page