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Rise in prices disastrous, says Jyoti Basu

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu on Friday described as “disastrous” the escalation in the prices of essential commodities for which the ‘Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government is responsible.’ “We have discussed the issue in our [the Communist Party of India (Marxist)] central committee and our general secretary, Prakash Karat, has even written to the Centre,” he said here.

The farmers found themselves in a “dismal” situation, Mr. Basu said. Neither did he think that the Centre could deliver on its promises of providing them the benefits as enunciated in the budget proposals for 2008-2009.

The CPI(M), he said, was critical of many of the “negative” aspects of the policies being pursued by the UPA government which “has been silent on combating both communal and imperialistic forces.”

“Let them at least abide by the provisions of the Common Minimum Programme. We have been saying that ‘it is your programme, not ours’ but yet they are not keeping to it,” Mr. Basu asserted.

On the situation in Nandigram, where the Opposition holding rallies during the day to commemorate the first anniversary of the March 14 police firing there, Mr. Basu regretted that “some people are still trying to foment trouble there.”

“The local panchayats were not allowed to function for several months during which funds for development could not be used.”

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