Date:20/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/20/stories/2006082012800400.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Bourgeois media spreading false propaganda, says Yechury

Staff Reporter

Party organPeople's Democracywill counter the campaign

Sitaram Yechury

KOCHI: Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), on Saturday alleged that the ``bourgeois media'' were indulging in a false propaganda on various issues in Kerala and West Bengal.

Speaking after launching here the Kerala edition of People's Democracy, a weekly organ of the CPI(M), he said the publication would serve as a collective agitator as well as help to fight the false propaganda.

The bourgeois media portrayed Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan as a hardliner opposed to development, while his West Bengal counterpart Buddhadeb Dasgupta was projected as a promoter of private investment. Such media wanted to know why West Bengal did not ban cola, while Kerala had clamped a ban.

Mr. Yechury said cola was prohibited in a Congress-ruled State, while other States ruled by that party had not enforced the ban. On the issue, the CPI(M) wanted common norms followed in the country. A parliamentary committee was to look into the matter, and the party wanted preparation of its report expedited.

Support to Centre

Recalling the events that led to the CPI(M) extending support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, Mr. Yechury said a complex situation arose in the country following globalisation. The bourgeois media did not highlight the events.

Mr. Yechury said his party's stand on foreign direct investment was aimed at better employment opportunities, upgrading technology and increasing production. The party was on a struggle to ensure these objectives.

The CPI(M) was keen on focussing on people's welfare. The Left pressure made the Centre introduce the rural employment generation scheme and a law to secure land for Adivasis.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who initiated privatisation in 1991, declared that profit-making public sector units would not be privatised.

The Left parties induced such a change in his attitude. The bourgeois media did not focus on such issues also.

The Left had been raising the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal in Parliament. While no one was opposed to energy augmentation, the question was which type of energy was suitable to India.

While 2.5 per cent of the total energy produced was met from nuclear sources now, it was envisaged that the share would increase to 5 per cent by 2015. Was it worth surrendering the sovereignty of the country to achieve this goal?

Energy issues

India had good reserves of coal for energy production. Hydroelectric power and gas-based energy were cheaper. As much as 50,000 MW of hydroelectric power remained untapped in the country. If this was utilised, floods could also be controlled. The U.S. had not set up any nuclear plant in the recent past on environmental and economic considerations. The bourgeois media did not discuss the issues.