The Hindu : National : Centre not doing enough: Karat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 08, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Centre not doing enough: Karat

Prakash Karat

HYDERABAD: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat has criticised the Centre for not doing enough to contain the violence against Christians in Orissa and urged it to take strong action against the Bajrang Dal. He wanted it to issue directives to the Naveen Patnaik government under Article 355 of the Constitution.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said the situation in Kandhamal district continued to be serious. There had been similar attacks in Karnataka also. “There is enough evidence that the Bajrang Dal is participating in these violent attacks on Christian minorities. Our demand has been that the Central government should initiate strong action against the Bajrang Dal.”

He said the ‘Unlawful Activities Act’ should be applied to all extremist groups that indulge in violence, whether they belonged to the minority community or the majority community.

It was not enough to issue advisory letters to the Orissa government. Under Article 355, the Centre could issue directives to State governments for the arrest of all culprits, ensuring that cases were filed and telling them how serious crimes like the rape of a nun and killing of people should be probed.

“We have, of course, demanded that the CBI should be handed over the investigation of such cases.”

Replying to a question on invoking Article 356, he said the CPI(M) was against its use in general, except when there was a serious threat to national unity and the country’s secular fabric. In the present situation in Orissa, he wanted the Centre to issue directives under Article 355.

He also accused the BJP of fomenting communal trouble all over the country, with an eye on the coming elections. Citing the incidents in Assam and Dhule in Maharashtra, he said the RSS and its outfits were fomenting communal tension and creating communal polarisations. This was “condemnable.”

He faulted the Securities and Exchange Board of India for removing restrictions pertaining to Participatory Notes and said that it was trying to bring back speculative finances which had left India.

“We are trying to import the financial crisis in America into our country,” he said. He demanded that the RBI and SEBI tighten the regulations and prevent speculative financial flows.

Asked about the clean chit given to Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh by the Parliamentary Committee set up to go into the cash-for-votes scam, he said one must wait for the final report.

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

National