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Communist parties to form human chain today

— Photo: T.Singaravelou

CAMARADERIE: Leaders of the CPI and CPI (M) jointly addressing a press conference in Puducherry on Wednesday.

PUDUCHERRY: Activists of the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will form a human chain here on Thursday to “highlight among other things the political implications of the India-United States civilian nuclear deal and the need to streamline the public distribution system, take steps to tackle agrarian crisis and combat the designs of the communal forces.”

Addressing a press conference jointly on Wednesday, leaders of the two parties said the human chain would connect the statues of freedom fighters V.Subbiah and V.Venkatasubba Reddiar.

Secretary of the Puducherry unit of the CPI N. Kalainathan said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had been “acting hastily to operationalise the deal which would be detrimental to the security and sovereignty of the country.”

He also recalled that the CPI and the CPI (M) had been jointly and separately holding agitations against the “relentless price rise” by banning forward trading in 25 commodities and supplying 14 essential articles through the PDS.

The proposed human chain was also aimed at demanding the Centre to take steps to end agrarian distress which had led to farmers’ suicide, he said, adding that the government had also failed to take action against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had been indulging in acts of “disrupting communal harmony” in different parts of the country.

Secretary of the Puducherry unit of the CPI (M) V. Perumal appealed to the public, more particularly the working people and the traders, to extend support to the all India general strike called by the Central trade unions on August 20 demanding action to strengthen the PDS, curb price rise and protect the interest of the working people, including those belonging to the unorganised sector.

During the general strike, the trade unions would urge the government to incorporate their demands to remove the anomalies in the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission, he said.

Member of the Tamil Nadu Committee of the CPI (M) T.Murugan accused the UPA government of “bulldozing” the process of privatisation, globalisation and liberalisation by appointing private fund managers for handling employees provident fund deposits and allowing foreign direct investment in multi-brand category of domestic business.

Mr. Kalainathan said the CPI unit would review its ties with alliance partners, including the Congress, in the light of the call given by the national council of the party to work for the unity of the non-Congress and non-BJP parties.

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