The Hindu : It's UDF's cover-up bid: VS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

It's UDF's cover-up bid: VS

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM Feb. 6. The Leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan, has said that the UDF Government is making a foolish attempt to cover up its misdeeds and failures by trying to blow up some of the shortcomings of the previous LDF Government.

Inaugurating the three-day 20th State conference of the pro-CITU Kerala Cooperative Employees Union (KCEU) here today, he said that when it became clear that such an attempt would come to nothing, another trick, that the CPI(M) is besieged with internal wrangles, was being played.

The CPI(M) leader said his suggestions with regard to an inquiry into the controversial decisions of the previous LDF Government had been twisted by sections of the media. The UDF enjoyed the full support of a section of the `monopoly press' in spreading such canards against the LDF in general and the CPI(M) in particular. The CPI(M) could not be cowed down by such unsavoury propaganda. It was without the support of any newspapers that the Communists came to power in the State in 1957. ``We are adept in verbally convincing the masses on what exactly is the truth,'' he added.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the major achievements of the previous LDF Government could not be tarred by one or two minor failures. ``If a fault has been committed, we will never have the effrontery to justify it.''

The Memorandum of Understanding to sell Periyar waters was not signed by the LDF Government. It was signed by the Antony Government in June, 1995. The LDF was in possession of the document in this connection.

He said the support extended to the Global Investor Meet (GIM) by the CPI(M) was conditional, provided those making investments practised honest employment methods. However, soon after the GIM formalities, it had become clear that the UDF was interested in inviting only dishonest investors. Even the water resources of the State and the sea were proposed to be sold. The whole State had been mortgaged to the Asian Development Bank, he alleged.

Turning his attention towards the cooperative sector, Mr. Achuthanandan said the sector was facing an unprecedented crisis, for the Antony Government was not interested even in supporting the primary cooperatives.

``We have a Cooperation Minister who is active when it comes to capturing the societies.'' But when it came to some action relating to the wellbeing of the societies and the welfare of the employees, the Minister appeared inert. The `self-financing culture' being promoted would not only ruin the cooperative sector but also prove to be extremely harmful to the State on all counts.

The KCEU president, M. Sukumaran, presided over the function. The reception committee chairman, P. Rajendran, MP, welcomed the gathering. The CPI(M) district secretary, K. Rajagopal, the Kollam Mayor, Sabita Beegum, and the general secretary of the Kerala State Electricity Board Workers Association, K. O. Habeeb, spoke.

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