Biggest trade union protest in last 20 years
Akhilesh Suman
London, 26 March.
Those in India who vouch for the West for guidance on economic policies must feel stunned on turn out of people on London Streets on Saturday to protest against governments policies to cut jobs and benefits to the people they were enjoying till now.
Rough estimates say the strength of the protesters is around 4 lakh and it is the second biggest after a protest against Iraq war in 2003. This correspondent was also present in London and had participated the march in 2003.
The protest march on London organised by Trade Union Congress (TUC) comprised of all sections of society including the bureaucrats who too are scared of their loosing retirement benefits and grip over economic dynamics of the country. Teachers, nurses, midwives, National Health System (NHS) workers, Local council and other public sector workers were joined by students, pensioners and direct action supporters, bringing the centre of the capital to a standstill.
Estimates say that unemployment became 30 percent higher when Gordan Brown was Chancellor (finance minister).
The protestors also violently attacked the restaurants and Hotel windows that are run by private magnets of the British economy. Banks and stores in Oxford Street were also targeted by the anti-cuts group UK Uncut.
Local people are calling it the biggest union-organised event since last 20 years saw more than 800 buses and dozens of trains hired to bring people to London. This caused many travellors to London who would otherwise have chosen to come to the British capital at the weekend.
The protestors coming from different parts of Britain including Scotland and Northern Ireland were heard speaking for their communities.
The speakers in the rally that took place in historic Hyde Park lamented that they would found alternative to brutal spending cuts which have already led to the threat of 170,000 council job losses and another 50,000 elsewhere in the public sector.
With over 50,000 job cuts already in the pipeline – nurses, doctors, physios, midwives – in the name of so-called efficiency savings of £20bn, the NHS is in worst situation since its inception.
‘It is like destroying what has taken generations to build. Let's be brutally clear about these brutal cuts. They're going to cost jobs on a huge scale – adding to the misery of the 2.5 million people already on the dole,’ a speaker at the rally said.
‘Every month when a library closes, a care home shuts its doors, or services for struggling young people are withdrawn, I want them to feel the fear, and anger of the people who have come here today from every part of the UK to vent their frustration and to stand up for a fairer future,’ another speaker added.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Arab world shows there in no end of history Youth are agents of change; liberalization is not the last word in human economy
Akhilesh Suman
After Francis Fukuyama wrote his famous treatise as “End of History and the Last Man”, there was an all pervasive gloom among the intellectuals of the world as if way market values were going to rule the mind, heart and human passion. They felt what Fukuyama was arguing also meant end of human dream, end of ideological polemic and politics will lastly converge to the western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.
Based on Hegelian “upside-down” political dynamics, what Fukuyama’s principles missed was the further dynamics in western liberal democracy itself. Western liberal democracy that was once known for running a system of `Welfare Capitalism’ under which basic health and education were ensured by the state, now they turning into “crony capitalism” and individual human rights have become subordinate to the approach towards countering terrorism.
If Fukuyama remembers, western liberal democracy that was once burying its imperialist past, it is reinventing itself in semi-colonial mode to adopt `soft imperialism’. Liberal face of western democracy was largely exposed during Iraq invasion and it would not be prudent to say that buck stops there only.
Liberal face of Western democracy was necessitated due to challenge from Communist’s campaign right from mid-nineteenth century against the system of capitalism, but after collapse of Soviet Union, alienation of Cuba and growth of State capitalism in China, the ‘liberals’ went awry to move into same old conservative and crony capitalist mode. They prescribed contract system in employment, hire & fire policy in jobs and forced minimum staff in Governments even in populated countries. But instead of naming it ‘hard’, ‘harsh’ or ‘tough’ economy, they befooled the audience by saying it liberalization. Amazingly, knowing well the nature and scope of the so called liberalization, even the economists like Amartya Sen did not oppose the deceptive nomenclature of such a brutal financial system. Thus the foundation of western liberal democracy had been removed from the governance and they felt people will be intoxicated in the glitter of market and advertisement driven consumerism.
After the collapse of USSR, it was understood that the youth will go to market and forget other concerns. American playwright Arthur Miller had said once, “Earlier when they (youth) were angry, they went to church or for revolution, but now they go to market.” About Arab also, there was the same understanding – either they will go to Mosque or to market. Laden and Terrorism affairs took place in between and the last hope of change in Arab world was over.
But mosque and market stopped working overtime for the crony capitalists and it precipitated till the last quarter of 2010. The youth started campaign on internet and netizens who were understood to be least concerned about things in the world, came out in open from Tehrir Square to Libyan cities to force oust the despots. All of these Arabian rulers might not tyrants but they all were not ready out ready to share their power with people.
When Egyptian crisis was evolving Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao rightly hinted towards the lopsided growth is Arab world. In the age of liberalization, the expectation of people has increased and failing in fulfilling the expectations might be the reason of current unrest in Egypt, she had said.
How exact and precise was Ms. Rao! Truly speaking Liberalization is increasing the expectation of all, but fulfilling the expectation of few. The anger and anguish lead with frustration and getting no ventilation mechanism burst the bubble. Religious sentiments and loyalty to the West too did not work and people were dancing on roads to have a taste of democracy.
The youth is alike, in Arab, in Asia, in Europe, in America! They are the agents of change. It hardly matters which profession they are in. They are watching. They will come when the others fail. They may not essentially belong to political parties, but they are of unaware of politics.
What I mean to say that there in no end of history. Society evolves itself to create another page in the book to keep the change alive, the water flowing and air blowing. Those who adhere on empiricist explanation of end of history should take a lesson from Tunisia where population lives on European standards but devoid of European freedom. A major role in the revolt has also been played by those who live abroad in Europe or American cities for whom a feudal despot sitting in the throne for decades surviving on foreign dole.
Most of the time in past, the West was scared of Islamists coming to power once it was open to vote. But the recent events show, they are far away. No noise of bombs anywhere, the bombers are scared protesters who are demanding for freedom of expression and and share in power for the people. History continues thus ever after!
-----
After Francis Fukuyama wrote his famous treatise as “End of History and the Last Man”, there was an all pervasive gloom among the intellectuals of the world as if way market values were going to rule the mind, heart and human passion. They felt what Fukuyama was arguing also meant end of human dream, end of ideological polemic and politics will lastly converge to the western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.
Based on Hegelian “upside-down” political dynamics, what Fukuyama’s principles missed was the further dynamics in western liberal democracy itself. Western liberal democracy that was once known for running a system of `Welfare Capitalism’ under which basic health and education were ensured by the state, now they turning into “crony capitalism” and individual human rights have become subordinate to the approach towards countering terrorism.
If Fukuyama remembers, western liberal democracy that was once burying its imperialist past, it is reinventing itself in semi-colonial mode to adopt `soft imperialism’. Liberal face of western democracy was largely exposed during Iraq invasion and it would not be prudent to say that buck stops there only.
Liberal face of Western democracy was necessitated due to challenge from Communist’s campaign right from mid-nineteenth century against the system of capitalism, but after collapse of Soviet Union, alienation of Cuba and growth of State capitalism in China, the ‘liberals’ went awry to move into same old conservative and crony capitalist mode. They prescribed contract system in employment, hire & fire policy in jobs and forced minimum staff in Governments even in populated countries. But instead of naming it ‘hard’, ‘harsh’ or ‘tough’ economy, they befooled the audience by saying it liberalization. Amazingly, knowing well the nature and scope of the so called liberalization, even the economists like Amartya Sen did not oppose the deceptive nomenclature of such a brutal financial system. Thus the foundation of western liberal democracy had been removed from the governance and they felt people will be intoxicated in the glitter of market and advertisement driven consumerism.
After the collapse of USSR, it was understood that the youth will go to market and forget other concerns. American playwright Arthur Miller had said once, “Earlier when they (youth) were angry, they went to church or for revolution, but now they go to market.” About Arab also, there was the same understanding – either they will go to Mosque or to market. Laden and Terrorism affairs took place in between and the last hope of change in Arab world was over.
But mosque and market stopped working overtime for the crony capitalists and it precipitated till the last quarter of 2010. The youth started campaign on internet and netizens who were understood to be least concerned about things in the world, came out in open from Tehrir Square to Libyan cities to force oust the despots. All of these Arabian rulers might not tyrants but they all were not ready out ready to share their power with people.
When Egyptian crisis was evolving Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao rightly hinted towards the lopsided growth is Arab world. In the age of liberalization, the expectation of people has increased and failing in fulfilling the expectations might be the reason of current unrest in Egypt, she had said.
How exact and precise was Ms. Rao! Truly speaking Liberalization is increasing the expectation of all, but fulfilling the expectation of few. The anger and anguish lead with frustration and getting no ventilation mechanism burst the bubble. Religious sentiments and loyalty to the West too did not work and people were dancing on roads to have a taste of democracy.
The youth is alike, in Arab, in Asia, in Europe, in America! They are the agents of change. It hardly matters which profession they are in. They are watching. They will come when the others fail. They may not essentially belong to political parties, but they are of unaware of politics.
What I mean to say that there in no end of history. Society evolves itself to create another page in the book to keep the change alive, the water flowing and air blowing. Those who adhere on empiricist explanation of end of history should take a lesson from Tunisia where population lives on European standards but devoid of European freedom. A major role in the revolt has also been played by those who live abroad in Europe or American cities for whom a feudal despot sitting in the throne for decades surviving on foreign dole.
Most of the time in past, the West was scared of Islamists coming to power once it was open to vote. But the recent events show, they are far away. No noise of bombs anywhere, the bombers are scared protesters who are demanding for freedom of expression and and share in power for the people. History continues thus ever after!
-----
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
government's intention on land acqisition is under question
Akhilesh Suman
New Delhi
No government is implementing the existing Rehabilitation and Resettlement provisions contained in the Constitution in case of forcible land acquisition, even when the chief ministers shed tears that absence of proper law had prevented them in giving adequate compensation to the evicted farmers.
Former Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is going to file a law suit in an appropriate court to force the executive to meet out the mismatch.
According to existing status, Union Government has adopted Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy 2007 and state governments may use this for the compensation package.
This fact was accepted by Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee in the previous sessions of Lok Sabha.
Gazette of India, 2007, clause 7.13.1 mentions constitutional provision on page 51, that clearly say that the Policy
“In case of a project involving land acquisition on behalf of a requiring party, (a) shall give preference to the affected families, at least one person per nuclear family in providing employment in the project, (b) wherever necessary, the acquiring body arrange for training of the affected persons so as to enable such persons to take on a suitable job.”
But amazingly neither in Yamuna Expressway, nor anywhere else this policy is being utilized by the state governments specifically as in most of the cases acquiring party is the state government.
“Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy is as good as an act till a suitable law is enacted in by Parliament,” Singh told Central Chronicle.
He is going to file the case in context of eviction of families while acquisition of land in creating Hazipur, Sugauli, Chhapra, and Muzaffarpur rail lines. The request of providing job to the affected families should have gone through state government to Ministry of Railway, but state government did not initiate this process.
In case of Yamuna Express too, Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministry Mayawati did not initiate the process of employment to the affected families, even she was crying foul for Centre not preparing Law in this regard.
New Delhi
No government is implementing the existing Rehabilitation and Resettlement provisions contained in the Constitution in case of forcible land acquisition, even when the chief ministers shed tears that absence of proper law had prevented them in giving adequate compensation to the evicted farmers.
Former Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is going to file a law suit in an appropriate court to force the executive to meet out the mismatch.
According to existing status, Union Government has adopted Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy 2007 and state governments may use this for the compensation package.
This fact was accepted by Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee in the previous sessions of Lok Sabha.
Gazette of India, 2007, clause 7.13.1 mentions constitutional provision on page 51, that clearly say that the Policy
“In case of a project involving land acquisition on behalf of a requiring party, (a) shall give preference to the affected families, at least one person per nuclear family in providing employment in the project, (b) wherever necessary, the acquiring body arrange for training of the affected persons so as to enable such persons to take on a suitable job.”
But amazingly neither in Yamuna Expressway, nor anywhere else this policy is being utilized by the state governments specifically as in most of the cases acquiring party is the state government.
“Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy is as good as an act till a suitable law is enacted in by Parliament,” Singh told Central Chronicle.
He is going to file the case in context of eviction of families while acquisition of land in creating Hazipur, Sugauli, Chhapra, and Muzaffarpur rail lines. The request of providing job to the affected families should have gone through state government to Ministry of Railway, but state government did not initiate this process.
In case of Yamuna Express too, Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministry Mayawati did not initiate the process of employment to the affected families, even she was crying foul for Centre not preparing Law in this regard.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Scare of Politcal Emergency
Even after 35 years of Emergency imposed on the country, human rights organizations are scared of government’s functioning on the lines of those dark days.
Most of the political parties who had faced the brunt of emergency in those have forgotten, but some of the concened citizens organized a huge meeting of intellectuals of the national capital on anti-emergency day.
The speakers that included socialist leaders and human rights activists were unanimous that in the hinterland the situation was worse than emergency.
“Slowly and steadily the government is moving towards emergency due to its own class character,” one of them said and added that there was already a situation of mini-emergency existed at many places and people who are poor and are in peaceful movement are thrown into jails in the name of Maoists and Naxalites.
“Everyone who are fighting for their rights are not launching violent movement, but they are being branded like that,” he added.
Citing the example of people’s verdict after Janata Party, another speaker asserted that the reelection of Indira Gandhi showed that people had voted against her due to her wrong governance and her endeavour to cripple democracy.
Alleging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as one of the persons responsible for this emergency like situation, Jain said that even judiciary has become insensitive.
The government was trying to intimidate human rights defenders and this is gross violation of democratic values.
A political party leader accused “Manmohan-Chidamabaram duo” as responsible for mass scale displacement of people for attracting foreign investment. She said that attack of people’s movement has increased many fold and all those who are fuighting for their legitimate rights are being booked even on charges like “goonda act”.
Most of the political parties who had faced the brunt of emergency in those have forgotten, but some of the concened citizens organized a huge meeting of intellectuals of the national capital on anti-emergency day.
The speakers that included socialist leaders and human rights activists were unanimous that in the hinterland the situation was worse than emergency.
“Slowly and steadily the government is moving towards emergency due to its own class character,” one of them said and added that there was already a situation of mini-emergency existed at many places and people who are poor and are in peaceful movement are thrown into jails in the name of Maoists and Naxalites.
“Everyone who are fighting for their rights are not launching violent movement, but they are being branded like that,” he added.
Citing the example of people’s verdict after Janata Party, another speaker asserted that the reelection of Indira Gandhi showed that people had voted against her due to her wrong governance and her endeavour to cripple democracy.
Alleging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as one of the persons responsible for this emergency like situation, Jain said that even judiciary has become insensitive.
The government was trying to intimidate human rights defenders and this is gross violation of democratic values.
A political party leader accused “Manmohan-Chidamabaram duo” as responsible for mass scale displacement of people for attracting foreign investment. She said that attack of people’s movement has increased many fold and all those who are fuighting for their legitimate rights are being booked even on charges like “goonda act”.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Income Tax department to cross check politicians assets
In a startling initiative, the Income Tax Department is going to review the properties of Members of Parliament and also those who contested for the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and faced defeat.
This will be in addition to the affidavits they had already filed before the Election Commission and in a way it will be cross checking of what had been filed by the individual candidates and what actually they possess.
Sources in the Department of Income Tax told Central Chronicle that a separate letter has been sent to many candidates who had contested seeking clarifications on their claims on their belongings. The official said that plan is to seek the clarification from all the candidates irrespective of the fact whether they won or not.
The move might create hue and cry in the political circles as most of them don’t show their actual income and assets and this is one of the reasons of the survival of political corruption. The enormous expenditure in the election is also one of the reasons of the unaccounted wealth of candidates in particular and their managing capacity from their benami sources in general.
However, it is not clear whether the letters will be sent to the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or LK Advani to know their assets too.
“Please refer to the deposition made in the affidavit … filed before the returning officer … regarding movable/immovable assets owned by you in connection with General Election (Lok Sabha) 2009,” the letter sent to the MPs mentioned.
“You are requested to substantiate your affidavit as above with supporting evidence in the following format with your Permanent Account Number, and the copies of receipt for filing returns of income for the last three years, if any,” the letter added.
The letter is written in a way suspecting the claims of the affidavit filed by the candidates.
The format given to the candidates include details of their movable and immovable properties with date and cost of their “acquisition” and also “mode of payment” whether by cash or cheque.
The candidates will be given two months time to respond to the notice by the Department.
The move seems to force the individuals to show their actual assets before the election commission, otherwise it was just becoming a customary and a farce tale of electioneering process.
----
This will be in addition to the affidavits they had already filed before the Election Commission and in a way it will be cross checking of what had been filed by the individual candidates and what actually they possess.
Sources in the Department of Income Tax told Central Chronicle that a separate letter has been sent to many candidates who had contested seeking clarifications on their claims on their belongings. The official said that plan is to seek the clarification from all the candidates irrespective of the fact whether they won or not.
The move might create hue and cry in the political circles as most of them don’t show their actual income and assets and this is one of the reasons of the survival of political corruption. The enormous expenditure in the election is also one of the reasons of the unaccounted wealth of candidates in particular and their managing capacity from their benami sources in general.
However, it is not clear whether the letters will be sent to the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or LK Advani to know their assets too.
“Please refer to the deposition made in the affidavit … filed before the returning officer … regarding movable/immovable assets owned by you in connection with General Election (Lok Sabha) 2009,” the letter sent to the MPs mentioned.
“You are requested to substantiate your affidavit as above with supporting evidence in the following format with your Permanent Account Number, and the copies of receipt for filing returns of income for the last three years, if any,” the letter added.
The letter is written in a way suspecting the claims of the affidavit filed by the candidates.
The format given to the candidates include details of their movable and immovable properties with date and cost of their “acquisition” and also “mode of payment” whether by cash or cheque.
The candidates will be given two months time to respond to the notice by the Department.
The move seems to force the individuals to show their actual assets before the election commission, otherwise it was just becoming a customary and a farce tale of electioneering process.
----
Saturday, June 19, 2010
We should have withdrawn support much earlier, should not have allowed government to go to IAEA on nuclear deal with USA: Prakash Karat
Cause of defeat in Bengal is loss of image among the people, wrong handling of contradiction between land and industrial development
No alliance with castiest parties like that of Lalu's or Mulayam's
Amidst criticism from a section of party about withdrawal of support from UPA government on Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, the CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat is at calm and is not at all perturbed by the political venom spilt on him by insiders or outsiders.
While detractors of Karat feel that withdrawal was a tactical mistake that became responsible for the poll debacle in West Bengal giving opportunity to Mamata Banerjee to stitch ties with Congress, Karat opines that people did not like the image of the party lately due to mishandling of Nandigram.
The hardliner communist among the left front leaders, Karat was busy organizing party class and preparing for the extended Central Committee meeting on August 7-10, 2010 in Vijaywada, when he talked to the writer of this blog exclusively in his office to vent out some of the ideas relevant to the party’s health.
“Withdrawal was right decision and we should have withdrawn support for the UPA government much earlier. It was wrong on our part to allow UPA government to go on international forum IAEA,” Karat said.
This is the first time, Karat had said that the support from the UPA government should have been withdrawn much earlier and the government should not have been allowed to go to International Atomic Energy Agency at all.
Interestingly, Karat was not member of the negotiating team from his party with Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.
Congress worked to woo Samajwadi Party in the intervening period to switch sides to the government, even when the CPI (M) was hopeful of the third front gaining ground.
Karat’s opinion about this crucial issue will take concrete shape in form of document in August meeting in presence of almost 350 delegates and the role of those who believed and supported to give green signal to the UPA-1 government to go to the IAEA would be in under question.
“We also could not take the issue of withdrawal of support and the negatives of nuclear deal among the masses forcefully,” he added.
On Mulayam and Lalu, the SP and RJD chiefs respectively, Karat said that left will not have alliance with them.
“There is no question of alliance with Muylayam Singh Yadav or Lalu Prasad,” he said and added, “the party will continue with its policy of going with the left in Bihar and other places.”
“We will alone try to create our own niche in Hindi states,” he said.
On Bengal what went wrong, Karat said, “We are in power in the state for long time, and people expect more from us all the time, we tried to industrialise for employment, but the message went wrong.”
“CPI (M) was a party that consolidated its base on land reforms and we never wanted to give agricultural land for industrial purposes, but agriculture in the state had reached to its optimum, there was a need to find other avenues of employment for the youth,” he said and added, “but we failed to tackle the inherent contradiction in it properly.”
“People react when there is loss of image of the party and this time they reacted vigorously,” he said.
“We shall try to win over the people by launching special programme for the party,” he added.
“With one defeat we are not going to be irrelevant, we are the only political force who can stand against the capitalist or imperialist onslaught over the nation,” the CPI (M) general secretary asserted.
On the question over bickering in left front after the defeat in parliamentary and recent municipal elections, Karat said, “after such a set-back, criticism is obvious, but we are together in the Left Front.”
On minorities, Karat said that CPI (M) had been the only party who always tried to stitch alliance against communalism.
“Muslim families had gained considerably during land reforms, but their new generation needs employment,” he said and added that the West Bengal government was trying for the same.
While negating their truck with Maoists in Nepal, the CPI (M) general secretary said that his party has fraternal relations with CPN (UML) led by Madhav Nepal.
He characterized Maoists in India as “non-communist”, anarchist” and “not a political party in normal sense.”
----
No alliance with castiest parties like that of Lalu's or Mulayam's
Amidst criticism from a section of party about withdrawal of support from UPA government on Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, the CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat is at calm and is not at all perturbed by the political venom spilt on him by insiders or outsiders.
While detractors of Karat feel that withdrawal was a tactical mistake that became responsible for the poll debacle in West Bengal giving opportunity to Mamata Banerjee to stitch ties with Congress, Karat opines that people did not like the image of the party lately due to mishandling of Nandigram.
The hardliner communist among the left front leaders, Karat was busy organizing party class and preparing for the extended Central Committee meeting on August 7-10, 2010 in Vijaywada, when he talked to the writer of this blog exclusively in his office to vent out some of the ideas relevant to the party’s health.
“Withdrawal was right decision and we should have withdrawn support for the UPA government much earlier. It was wrong on our part to allow UPA government to go on international forum IAEA,” Karat said.
This is the first time, Karat had said that the support from the UPA government should have been withdrawn much earlier and the government should not have been allowed to go to International Atomic Energy Agency at all.
Interestingly, Karat was not member of the negotiating team from his party with Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.
Congress worked to woo Samajwadi Party in the intervening period to switch sides to the government, even when the CPI (M) was hopeful of the third front gaining ground.
Karat’s opinion about this crucial issue will take concrete shape in form of document in August meeting in presence of almost 350 delegates and the role of those who believed and supported to give green signal to the UPA-1 government to go to the IAEA would be in under question.
“We also could not take the issue of withdrawal of support and the negatives of nuclear deal among the masses forcefully,” he added.
On Mulayam and Lalu, the SP and RJD chiefs respectively, Karat said that left will not have alliance with them.
“There is no question of alliance with Muylayam Singh Yadav or Lalu Prasad,” he said and added, “the party will continue with its policy of going with the left in Bihar and other places.”
“We will alone try to create our own niche in Hindi states,” he said.
On Bengal what went wrong, Karat said, “We are in power in the state for long time, and people expect more from us all the time, we tried to industrialise for employment, but the message went wrong.”
“CPI (M) was a party that consolidated its base on land reforms and we never wanted to give agricultural land for industrial purposes, but agriculture in the state had reached to its optimum, there was a need to find other avenues of employment for the youth,” he said and added, “but we failed to tackle the inherent contradiction in it properly.”
“People react when there is loss of image of the party and this time they reacted vigorously,” he said.
“We shall try to win over the people by launching special programme for the party,” he added.
“With one defeat we are not going to be irrelevant, we are the only political force who can stand against the capitalist or imperialist onslaught over the nation,” the CPI (M) general secretary asserted.
On the question over bickering in left front after the defeat in parliamentary and recent municipal elections, Karat said, “after such a set-back, criticism is obvious, but we are together in the Left Front.”
On minorities, Karat said that CPI (M) had been the only party who always tried to stitch alliance against communalism.
“Muslim families had gained considerably during land reforms, but their new generation needs employment,” he said and added that the West Bengal government was trying for the same.
While negating their truck with Maoists in Nepal, the CPI (M) general secretary said that his party has fraternal relations with CPN (UML) led by Madhav Nepal.
He characterized Maoists in India as “non-communist”, anarchist” and “not a political party in normal sense.”
----
Consultation after consultation, poor still to be identified
One can understand how Naxals emerged strong in the country where the Union government took two years to estimate the poverty and it is still not clear how to identify the poor.
To add to the woos, the Union Rural Development Ministry has been asked to conduct Below Poverty Line (BPL) survey, but not final, but as pilot project in only 260 villages. No one knows when the government will finally come out with the BPL survey as final.
The states had been fighting with the Centre on the number of BPL families and the fight resulted in hiccups to deliver the benefits to the poor in the villages, or even the urban areas. The Food Security Bill is also being pending on the pretext of the lack of authentic BPL survey.
The work on the pilot project may begin in July, 2010 for a month long period to will test the feasibility of exclusion and inclusion criteria of the final BPL survey.
“It’s ridiculous,” said an observer and added that the whole exercise is being done to favour some agencies at a time when the whole administration in the country is engaged in the census.
“The same government employees who are going from House to House for census activities, could have done the BPL survey too as most of the questions the data collectors of the pilot project would repeat what has already been asked by the census employees,” said sources in the Ministry of Rural Development.
In the pilot project too, the Ministry has come out with the criteria like Muslims, SC and ST households, casual and agricultural labourers, artisans and traditional professionals, single woman or minor led households, MGNREGS card holders who have worked for or over 50 days will be first suo motu included in the list of BPL and then on the basis of their land holdings and assets as well as on income criteria they will be excluded.
“This is unnecessarily complicated process and the process of inclusion and then exclusion will give rise to corruption at the local levels,” an observer added.
To add to the woos, the Union Rural Development Ministry has been asked to conduct Below Poverty Line (BPL) survey, but not final, but as pilot project in only 260 villages. No one knows when the government will finally come out with the BPL survey as final.
The states had been fighting with the Centre on the number of BPL families and the fight resulted in hiccups to deliver the benefits to the poor in the villages, or even the urban areas. The Food Security Bill is also being pending on the pretext of the lack of authentic BPL survey.
The work on the pilot project may begin in July, 2010 for a month long period to will test the feasibility of exclusion and inclusion criteria of the final BPL survey.
“It’s ridiculous,” said an observer and added that the whole exercise is being done to favour some agencies at a time when the whole administration in the country is engaged in the census.
“The same government employees who are going from House to House for census activities, could have done the BPL survey too as most of the questions the data collectors of the pilot project would repeat what has already been asked by the census employees,” said sources in the Ministry of Rural Development.
In the pilot project too, the Ministry has come out with the criteria like Muslims, SC and ST households, casual and agricultural labourers, artisans and traditional professionals, single woman or minor led households, MGNREGS card holders who have worked for or over 50 days will be first suo motu included in the list of BPL and then on the basis of their land holdings and assets as well as on income criteria they will be excluded.
“This is unnecessarily complicated process and the process of inclusion and then exclusion will give rise to corruption at the local levels,” an observer added.
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