CPI(M) attacks Congress govt on economic policies

In a two-pronged strategy, the CPI(M) today attacked the Congress on its economic policies and the BJP for practicing "majority communalism" and claimed that it has taken remedial steps to overcome the defeat of the party in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

The party blamed the Central Government's policy for the relentless rise in the prices of food and other essential commodities and accused the Congress leadership of hypocrisy when they talk of inclusive growth.

"The Congress-led UPA Government boasts about the high growth rate achieved. The GDP growth rate is taken as the reliable index of progress and development for the people. But this is not true," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told delegates attending the four-day session of the Extended Central Committee that began today.

He said the government's neo-liberal policies have led to the primitive accumulation of the capital, the enormous growth of the capital and assets in the hands of a narrow strata that meant growth for the super rich.

"How the Government policy is injurious for the people's interest is glaringly illustrated by the relentless rise in the price of food and other essential commodities. Government policies are directly responsible for the ever-rising prices. Repeated increase in the prices of petroleum products is one major reason," Karat said.

He accused the Congress leadership and government of speaking hypocritically about inclusive growth when the policies they pursue were designed to exclude the vast majority of people from access to food, education, jobs and social security.

Karat also accused the government of compromising national security by being subservient of the commitment made in the Indo-US nuclear deal.

"After the worst industrial accident in the history of the world in Bhopal, in which the victims got no justice and the perpetrator of the crime -- an American national -- was left off, the government now proposes a law which will make any American company which supplies nuclear reactors to India not liable for even one rupee if there is a nuclear accident," he said.

On BJP, the CPI(M) leader said the forces of "majority communalism" works on the basis of Hindutva ideology and outlook which is injurious for the country and people's unity.

"The BJP-run state governments -- whether it be in Gujarat, Karnataka or Madhya Pradesh -- are targeting minorities, both Muslims and Christians and seek to deprive them of their rights and citizens," he said.

Karat said the recent exposures of how the "police and state machinery in Gujarat have been used to cover-up the pogroms and stage encounter killings are a chilling reminder of what is in store for the country if such forces to power."

He said the party has analysed the reasons for the "reverses" it suffered in West Bengal and Kerala in the last Lok Sabha elections and also "identified" the steps needed to be taken for course correction.

Karat, however, did not publicly elaborate what the reasons (for the debacle) were and the corrective action they proposed, leaving it to be discussed at meeting.

Noting that the CPM suffered "reverses" in both West Bengal and Kerala in the last Lok Sabha elections, Karat said the party has carefully looked into why it happened and also identified the steps to be taken to remedy the situation.

"We should do our utmost so that the people of West Bengal and Kerala renew their faith in the party and the Left-led alliances there," he told the 370-odd top party leaders attending the ECC meet.

Underlining the significance of the ECC meeting, the CPI(M) General Secretary said it was to take stock of the political situation in the country and to chalk out a political line which could "help us tackle the current situation and meet the various challenges that we are facing.”

"In the present dismal scene in the country, only the CPI(M) and the Left present a real alternative in terms of the path of development and policies," he said.