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Differences in the Left Front over SEZs

	February 19, 2007

The Left Front divisions on the question of special economic zones are becoming more acute. CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury admitted in New Delhi on Feb. 17 that the Left Front partners have differences over land acquisition for industry and SEZs. Speaking to reporters at the start of the CPI(M) politburo meeting, Yechury said the issue would be discussed by the party. While admitting the differences, he said the Left Front’s manifesto in the last Assembly elections had very clearly talked in terms of the process of industrialisation to which all the other Left parties were also a party. On the question regarding the type of land to be acquired for SEZs, Yechury said ideally it should be non-agricultural land and where it was not available, like in West Bengal, there should be prioritisation. He said states like Rajasthan and Gujarat were different as they had large tracts of non-agricultural land.



Meanwhile, differences in the Left Front in West Bengal over amendment of the Land Ceiling Act continue. The Assembly select committee, deliberating the matter, has failed to reach a consensus. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has in the meantime, said that while there is no going back on the Singur Tata Motors project, elsewhere, no land will be acquired from farmers without their consent.



Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has rejected the Government’s stand and said that there should be talks to discuss the Singur project also. She said the authorities should return farmland forcibly acquired in Singur for the Tata Motors small car project.



In a setback for the state Government, Calcutta High Court set aside prohibitory orders imposed in the Singur area for 10 days from Feb. 4. The court in its verdict on Feb. 14 said there was abuse of power by the administration in Hooghly district.



At the Centre, the empowered Group of Ministers, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, may meet in the first week of March to take up the question of special economic zones. The Government had put on hold the decision on setting up SEZs pending the finalisation of a comprehensive rehabilitation policy.





CPI(M) to turn the heat on UPA



On the eve of the politburo meeting, the CPI(M) minced no words in hitting out at the Manmohan Singh government saying that the price rise is a direct result of the policies of the government. Referring to the Government’s talk of nine per cent GDP growth, Yechury said the harsh reality was that the government’s wrong policies had led to shortages. Observers say that the CPI(M) may be moving into an agitation mood against the UPA Government which it supports from outside.



CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, speaking in New Delhi on Feb. 14, opposed the Government’s move to open retail to foreign direct investment.



Another CPI(M) politburo member M.K. Pandhe, speaking in New Delhi on Feb. 12, opposed the new Pension Bill.



CPI leader D. Raja said that the Bill in the present form is not acceptable to the Left.



On another front, the Left parties have decided to strongly oppose the India-US nuclear deal in the Budget session of Parliament. CPI national secretary Sudhakar Reddy said in Mumbai on Feb. 14 that India did not need the deal and foreign supply of uranium.



The Budget session of Parliament beginning on Feb. 23, is expected to be stormy with Uttar Pradesh high on the agenda. The Left parties are unhappy with the Government for what they call ignoring them while taking major policy decisions on issues such as disinvestment.



President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses on Feb. 23 will be his last as his tenure will be coming to an end in July. Several names are making the round of who will succeed him. Among the persons whose names are being talked about are Congress veterans Karan Singh and Sushil Kumar Shinde, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.



Actor Amitabh Bachhan’s friends in the Samajwadi Party have begun whispering his name as a potential candidate with the support of the socalled “third front” consisting of the Samajwadi Party, the Telugu Desam Party, the All India Anna DMK and the Asom Gana Parishad. But he has denied the reports.





CPI(M) MPs asked to live on shoe-string budget



The CPI(M) has asked its Members of Parliament to contribute Rs. 35,000 from their monthly salary of Rs. 42,000 to the party. Early this month, the CPI(M) issued a circular on the amount deductible based on the new salary for MPs. The MPs are not complaining. Instead many point this out as an indication of how much Marxists value austerity. “We value honesty and expect our MPs to lead austere lives,” says Hannan Mollah, the Lok Sabha MP from Uluberia in West Bengal since 1980. “It is our duty to pay the party since the money is used for party activities.”



Asked how he manages on so little, he said, “We do not indulge in any sort of luxury. It is high time others appreciated our austerity and followed us.” Lonappan Nandadam, MP from Mukundapuram in Kerala, said : “It is a party decision, and I do not have any personal comments. The party needs money for its activities, and we have a commitment to the party.”



With 43 Lok Sabha seats and 14 Rajya Sabha MPs, the CPI(M) gets Rs. 19.95 lakh every month. MPs from the Communist Party of India, however, are required to pay the party only Rs. 25,000 from their salaries.