The Hindu : National : Kalam's address left out some issues: CPI(M)

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Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

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Kalam's address left out some issues: CPI(M)

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 8. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today sought assurance from the United Progressive Alliance Government on issues such as reduction of interest on central loans to the States, increase in State's share in the Central pool and law to protect farm labourers, among others.

The party said that the issues did not figure in the President's address to Parliament on Monday even though they formed part of the Common Minimum Programme.

Addressing a press conference, the CPI(M) parliamentary party leader, Basudeb Acharia, and senior leader, Rupchand Pal, also wanted the Manmohan Singh Government to clarify its stand on relations with Israel and sought to know whether it would affect ties with Palestine. Similarly, they said on Iraq the Government should clarify that the US-led forces should not hand over power to a "puppet regime propped up by Washington."

The Marxist leaders said that party MPs would raise the issues since most of these were in the CMP, but did not find mention in the Presidential address.

Mr. Acharia said no mechanism had been evolved to enable coordination between the ruling UPA and the supporting parties formally.

"At the moment, we draw attention by reacting at various levels including Parliament, on one-to-one basis or informally," he said.

On the Opposition demand of dropping of "tainted" ministers from the Manmohan Singh Government, both the leaders said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance had "no moral right" to do so after they continued with the chargesheeted ministers for about five years despite the then Opposition demand.

They said in one case a Minister quit and reinstated three months later even though a probe was on.

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