Prakash Karat attacks government over price rise issue

Attacking the Centre over spiralling prices of essential commodities, the CPI(M) today demanded an immediate ban on future trading in food articles and reduction in petroleum prices by cutting indirect taxes.

The rising prices of sugar, cereals, pulses, vegetables and milk reflected the utter failure of the Congress-led government in checking food prices and inflation, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said today while addressing a press conference here.

"It is not the states but the Centre which is responsible for the rising prices. The recent note issued by the Cabinet Committee on prices shows that the Centre wants to shirk its own responsibility by blaming the states," Karat claimed. He said the sugar prices rose because the Centre failed to build a buffer stock and instead the government incentivized exports helping big traders.

The CPM leader demanded that the Central government release cereal stocks through the PDS by increasing rice and wheat quotas of the states. The government in coordination with states must launch a nationwide crackdown against hoarders and black marketeers, he added.

Referring to the attacks against Indians in Australia, Karat said the efforts by the Centre were not enough. "The Centre should send a special envoy to Australia to assess the situation and interact with the Australian authorities so that such incidents stop. It is not an attack on individuals, but on Indians and this should be taken seriously," he added.

Karat said it was unfortunate that the Australian authorities had closed their eyes to the attacks on Indians. On Maoists, he alleged that the ultras were getting the support and the cooperation of Mamata Banerjee led TMC due to which the violence against left cadres was increasing in West Bengal.

Karat said the CPM was for settlement of border disputes between India and China. "Incursions are taking place as there is no demarcation of the LAC with China ...we want that the border dispute be settled immediately (between the two countries)."

The CPM will organise a rally at New Delhi on March 12 to protest against various issues, including rising prices and unemployment, he said.