The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Rice scheme a publicity stunt, say TDP and Left parties

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Thursday, Apr 10, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Rice scheme a publicity stunt, say TDP and Left parties

Special Correspondent

‘Rice scheme launched with an eye on elections’
Parties to stage dharnas on April 17

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party, CPI (M) and the Communist Party of India have described the Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme launched by the State government as a “publicity stunt” launched with an eye on the next elections.

The three parties have decided to join forces to “wake up the Government from its deep slumber” and ensure that steps are initiated to check the “skyrocketing” prices of essential commodities.

The parties will stage dharnas and demonstration at all district headquarters on April 17 that will be followed by nationwide protests by the Left and the United National Progressive Alliance the next day.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, TDP senior leader T. Devender Goud, CPI (M) State secretariat member Y. Venkateswara Rao and his CPI counterpart K. Ramakrishna said that the government was trying to cover up its failures in checking the spiralling rise of essentials by announcing the rice scheme. But, as long as the prices of other essential remained high, the scheme would be of “no use” to poor.

They criticised the Ministers for reportedly asking fair price shop dealers to provide this month’s quota of rice free of cost claiming that the request was an indication of the freedom that would be given to dealers to divert rice to black market.

Senior leaders of the three parties would lead the dharnas at district level.

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