Date:28/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/09/28/stories/2005092816590400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Play an intelligent role in politics, Karat tells students

Staff Reporter

TAMBARAM: The general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Prakash Karat, on Tuesday exhorted students to participate intelligently in the political process.

Interacting with students at a function organised by the Department of Economics at the Madras Christian College, Tambaram, his alma mater, Mr. Karat stated that the student movement had not weakened in the country. He also asked the students to cultivate more ``general and civic awareness.''

Stating that there were basic loopholes in policy making in the country, Mr. Karat said citizens had a sovereign right to ``decide their priorities.'' Stating that globalisation was inevitable, Mr. Karat said it had also brought with it, segmenting of the people. For instance, despite outsourcing jobs from the United States in the footwear industry, several people worked in very difficult conditions in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian nations, he added.