Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Fight against Maoists not law & order problem: CPM

Updated on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 21:42 IST

Kochi: The government should fight the Maoist militancy "politically" and "ideologically" instead of treating the problem purely as law and order situation, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said here today.

He was speaking on the recent Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh which claimed the lives of 76 CRPF personnel.


Maoists are operating predominantly in the tribal areas, which are remote and mountainous regions and these are areas where tribals are the most exploited and deprived socially and economically, he said.

The biggest assets for the tribal people is their land, he said.

"But now there is displacement from that. If you allow mining companies to come to indiscriminately in Chhattisgarh, parts of Orissa... That is what is happening today. Government has allowed hundred per cent FDI in mining."

On the April 27 opposition hartal against price rise of essential commodities, he said "We are not for toppling or destabilising the government."

Food inflation has touched over 17 per cent, the 'highest' in the world. Petrol and diesel prices have been hiked and excise and customs duties gone up. Government should scrap the increase in excise and customs duty which has a cascading effect, he said.

On PSUs' disinvestment, he said all trade unions should take up the entire question of disinvestment and launch a united struggle.

"BSNL employees went on strike yesterday. Sail, Coal India... a series of disinvestment are being planned," he said.

Referring to S N C Lavalin case in which CBI has chargesheeted CPI(M) Kerala secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, he said "we have always maintained that the case was politically motivated. We will fight it politically and legally".

-PTI

Prakash Karat's statement that the Maoist problem is not a law and order problem must surely rank as the most idiotic statement of the year. Dear Mr. Karat, how do you talk politics with people armed to their teeth and determined to fight against the state? If tribals are being displaced by mining, what are the Maoists doing to them - aren't they putting them into the line of fire by making them the frontline of the Maoist game-plan of warfare against the state? Would they rather not be displaced and with hope than in the midst of war and with fear? The Maoist and Marxists - both of them named after foreign Communist titans. You can certainly expect camaraderie between them. Prakash Karat is a crypto Maoist - however sophisticated he may seem.

http://www.zeenews.com/news620986.html

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