The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Execute food security plan: Forward Bloc

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Friday, May 09, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Execute food security plan: Forward Bloc

‘CPI(M), CPI should sink differences’

Says LDF partners should stop taking unilateral decisions
Welcomes move to buy rice from
West Bengal

Kochi: All India Forward Bloc secretary G. Devarajan has deplored the differences between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) over the implementation of the proposed food security programme.

At a press conference here on Thursday, he said the proposed food security programme had been put on the backburner following the differences.

It was unfortunate that the constituents of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) were unable to reach a consensus on the programme.

In fact, the failure to implement such a programme would be a blot on the two-year-old LDF government.

He said the major constituents of the LDF should give up its narrow politics and stop taking unilateral decisions on solving the food crisis in the State.

Rice deal

He said officials of the Kerala State Consumer Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (Consumerfed) and the government should have contacted their counterparts in West Bengal before striking a deal with the private rice millers in West Bengal for buying rice.

He said the Forward Bloc handled the Ministries of Agriculture, Civil Supplies and Cooperation in the West Bengal government.

No government officials or Ministers from the State had been in touch with those in charge of these departments.

He welcomed the decision to buy rice from West Bengal to hold the price line.

However, if the government took unilateral decisions, it would not serve any purpose.

Benefits for people

The LDF government should try to use its political influences to bring benefits to the people of the State. The Forward Bloc was prepared to extend help to the government on this count.

Nuclear deal

Mr. Devarajan said the UPA government would not be able to implement the India-U.S. civilian nuclear treaty. Even certain Congress Ministers and leaders had accepted the demerits of the treaty pointed out by the Left leaders. The leaders of the Congress had acknowledged the fact that the people were not willing to concede to the U.S. superiority.

In fact, the discussion with the Left leaders over the deal would continue indefinitely. The U.S. administration would not be able to take a policy decision after June.

Rally

He said the rally taken out by the State committee of the Forward Bloc from Kasaragod would culminate in Thiruvananthapuram on May 15.

The rally was being taken out demanding protection of the country’s freedom from the imperialist forces and multinationals.

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